NIH Highlighted Topic: Characterizing Indoor Exposures to Advance Exposome Research

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research focused on characterizing indoor environmental exposures as a critical, understudied component of the human exposome. This highlighted topic aims to advance exposure detection technologies, measurement tools, and biomarkers that improve understanding of how indoor pollutants and conditions contribute to overall exposure and health burden across the lifespan.

People spend 80-90% of their time indoors on average, making indoor environments a primary determinant of total exposure, yet thousands of contaminants from building materials, furnishings, cleaning products, and biological sources like mold remain difficult to assess with existing tools. NIH is particularly interested in projects that address the complex mixture effects, secondary chemical reaction products, and multiple exposure sources that current single-pollutant studies fail to capture.

Areas of interest include developing novel biomarkers and personal monitoring devices for indoor exposure assessment, characterizing the chemical and biological composition of indoor exposure mixtures across residential, school, work, and mixed-use settings, understanding how combined indoor exposures and chemical reactions shape the exposome's impact on health, and developing measurement metrics to evaluate interventions such as HEPA filtration.

Note: as with the RNA metabolism topic, this is a Highlighted Topic rather than a standalone NOFO, so applicants apply through an appropriate NIH Parent Funding Announcement or other broad opportunity on Grants.gov rather than a dedicated solicitation with its own SBIR/STTR dollar figures.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), which is seeking innovative exposure assessment technologies and biomarker-driven strategies to better understand and manage indoor exposure's contribution to human health outcomes.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of technologies, clinical tools, software platforms, and evidence-based interventions related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

Eligible activities may include:

• Development of speech-generating devices and AAC communication platforms

• AI and machine learning tools for adaptive communication support

• Personalized AAC assessment and recommendation systems

• Precision measurement tools for tracking communication outcomes

• Digital health platforms supporting AAC users and caregivers

• Literacy instruction technologies for AAC users

• Mobile applications supporting non-speaking and minimally verbal individuals

• Predictive analytics and communication profiling systems

• User-centered design and accessibility research for AAC technologies

• Tools supporting communication partner engagement and training

• Clinical software for AAC implementation and therapy management

• Mixed-methods research platforms for communication needs analysis

• Technologies supporting lifelong AAC adaptation and personalization

• Remote monitoring and telehealth solutions for speech and communication therapy

• Assistive technologies supporting autism, ALS, cerebral palsy, and related conditions

• Research evaluating quality-of-life and well-being outcomes for AAC users

• Prototype development, validation studies, and usability testing

• Commercialization planning and implementation strategy development

Funding may also support personnel, software development, usability studies, clinical testing, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, accessibility design, data collection, intellectual property protection, regulatory preparation, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable AAC solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must be U.S. small business concerns (SBCs) that:

• Are organized for profit with a U.S. place of business.

• Have ≤ 500 employees including affiliates.

• Are > 50% owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, qualifying U.S. entities, or combinations thereof.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive submission will likely take 120–200 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth.

Review solicitation here.

NIH Highlighted Topic: RNA Metabolism in Aging and Healthy Lifespan

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is encouraging innovative research focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms by which RNA metabolism influences aging and aging-related diseases. This highlighted topic aims to advance studies on RNA editing, alternative splicing, and RNA modification, and how these processes drive cellular deterioration, disease etiology, and biomarker discovery for age-related conditions.

RNA metabolism governs how genetic information moves from DNA to functional protein, and NIH notes that over 170 distinct post-transcriptional chemical modifications have been identified in cellular RNAs, each shaping RNA function in different ways. NIH is particularly interested in projects that leverage cutting-edge sequencing and RNA modification detection technologies to dissect the complexity and specificity of aging processes, including in populations affected by substance use.

Areas of interest include characterizing RNA metabolism changes associated with aging and aging-related diseases, determining causal roles of RNA changes in aging or disease etiology, identifying reliable RNA-based biomarkers of aging, discovering therapeutic targets among "non-druggable" proteins via their RNA regulators, and elucidating RNA-mediated mechanisms linking aging, drug use, and comorbidities such as HIV infection and polysubstance use.

This highlighted topic is supported primarily by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), both of which are seeking research that identifies mechanistic, biomarker, and therapeutic insights into how RNA metabolism shapes aging and age-related disease.

How much funding would I receive?

Awards provide up to $323,090 for Phase I projects (up to 2 years) and $2,153,927 for Phase II projects (up to 3 years). Some topics approved by NIH may exceed these limits. Fast-Track and Phase IIB (follow-on) options allow continuous or extended funding beyond Phase II.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support the research, development, validation, and commercialization of technologies, clinical tools, software platforms, and evidence-based interventions related to augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

Eligible activities may include:

• Development of speech-generating devices and AAC communication platforms

• AI and machine learning tools for adaptive communication support

• Personalized AAC assessment and recommendation systems

• Precision measurement tools for tracking communication outcomes

• Digital health platforms supporting AAC users and caregivers

• Literacy instruction technologies for AAC users

• Mobile applications supporting non-speaking and minimally verbal individuals

• Predictive analytics and communication profiling systems

• User-centered design and accessibility research for AAC technologies

• Tools supporting communication partner engagement and training

• Clinical software for AAC implementation and therapy management

• Mixed-methods research platforms for communication needs analysis

• Technologies supporting lifelong AAC adaptation and personalization

• Remote monitoring and telehealth solutions for speech and communication therapy

• Assistive technologies supporting autism, ALS, cerebral palsy, and related conditions

• Research evaluating quality-of-life and well-being outcomes for AAC users

• Prototype development, validation studies, and usability testing

• Commercialization planning and implementation strategy development

Funding may also support personnel, software development, usability studies, clinical testing, cloud infrastructure, AI model development, accessibility design, data collection, intellectual property protection, regulatory preparation, and commercialization activities necessary to advance a scalable and commercially viable AAC solution aligned with NIH priorities.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond the formal funding award, awardees gain several strategic advantages:

• Government Validation and Credibility:
  Being selected for an NIH-backed SBIR grant signals technical excellence and alignment with national health and biomedical priorities. This validation builds investor and partner confidence.

• Enhanced Visibility and Market Recognition:
  Awardees are featured in NIH and HHS announcements, helping attract partnerships, media attention, and future contracting opportunities.

• Access to the Federal Innovation Ecosystem:
  Recipients join a national network of researchers and agencies advancing life science innovation, often opening doors to collaborations with NIH laboratories and federal health programs.

• Stronger Commercial and Exit Potential:
  By maturing technology through nondilutive funding, companies strengthen valuation, de-risk commercialization, and increase attractiveness for acquisition or follow-on private investment.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Applications are accepted each year on January 5th, April 5th, and September 5th. Funding is received approximately 9 months after submission.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, with statutory set-asides requiring NIH, CDC, and FDA to devote portions of their extramural R&D budgets (3.2% for SBIR, 0.45% for STTR) to support small business innovation.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must be U.S. small business concerns (SBCs) that:

• Are organized for profit with a U.S. place of business.

• Have ≤ 500 employees including affiliates.

• Are > 50% owned by U.S. citizens or permanent residents, qualifying U.S. entities, or combinations thereof.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Projects that demonstrate:

• A clear unmet medical or public-health need,

• Strong scientific rationale and feasibility,

• High commercialization potential, supported by a realistic market and regulatory strategy, and

• Alignment with an NIH Institute’s or CDC/FDA Center’s specific research mission (e.g., infectious disease, digital health, diagnostics, therapeutics, or data analytics).

Competitive applicants often have an early prototype, preliminary data, and a defined path to market adoption.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

• Companies must complete multiple federal registrations (SAM.gov, Grants.gov, eRA Commons, SBA Company Registry) before applying.

• Foreign entities are not eligible.

• Disclosure of foreign affiliations and compliance with national security screening are mandatory. Currently we do not recommend any sort of foreign affiliation.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

For a first-time applicant, preparing a competitive submission will likely take 120–200 hours in total.

How can BW&CO help?

Our team specializes in complex federal R&D proposals and can:

• Triple your likelihood of success through proven strategy and insider-aligned proposal development

• Reduce your time spent on the proposal by 50–80%, letting your team focus on technology and operations

• Ensure you are targeting the best opportunity for your project and positioning your company for long-term growth.

Review solicitation here.

NASA ROSES A.13: Accelerating Earth Solutions (AES)

Quick Answer

NASA's Accelerating Earth Solutions (AES) program element is a newly amended addition to ROSES-2025 that consolidates what were previously separate program elements, including agriculture, disaster resilience, natural resources, health and air quality, water resources, wildland fire, energy systems, and resilient infrastructure, into a single, broader solicitation. The program seeks to accelerate the use of Earth-observing satellite data in real-world decision-making by funding work across three distinct tracks: Needs and Opportunities, Solutions Development, and Scaling Impact.

Selection priority is given to proposals that align with US resilience, resources, economic growth, health, and security; that increase the use of AI and machine learning; that cross boundaries between Earth Action thematic areas; that translate basic research or remote sensing advances into deployable solutions; and that draw on data from NASA's Earth observing missions, particularly NISAR, PACE, and SWOT, including combined approaches that pair NASA data with commercial satellite data available under the CSDA program.

Three Funding Sub-Elements

1. Needs and Opportunities (up to 1 year)

Supports early-stage engagement with federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial decision-makers to identify needs, build partnerships, and co-design solution concepts so that NASA Earth data can be meaningfully integrated into decision-making frameworks. Required activities include understanding societal decision-making challenges, identifying relevant end-user organizations, assessing end-user needs and data practices, evaluating end-user capacity to adopt new solutions, and determining feasibility and viability of potential solution concepts. Deliverables include a project/engagement plan, a midpoint report, communications materials, and a final report identifying opportunities for integrating NASA Earth data into future solutions.

2. Solutions Development (up to 3 years)

Focused on co-developing, validating, and transitioning solutions into operational deployment within an end-user's decision-making workflow. Applicants must have already identified users and conceptualized a solution determined to be desirable, feasible, and viable. At least one end-user representative with direct decision-making authority must be a formal member of the project team. Continuation beyond Year 1 depends on quarterly progress reports and an annual report demonstrating assessed end-user needs and expected outputs from models, applications, or decision support tools.

3. Scaling Impact (up to 2 years)

Aimed at expanding existing NASA Earth observation decision-support capabilities, either horizontally (reaching more users) or vertically (new tools or new observations), building on existing operational systems whether or not previously NASA-funded. Proposers with prior NASA Applied Sciences or Earth Action funding must document the achieved impact of that prior work and show how it informs the proposed scaling effort. As with Solutions Development, at least one end-user representative with decision-making authority must be on the project team, and continuation beyond Year 1 depends on quarterly and annual reporting demonstrating end-user needs assessment, how existing capabilities inform the scaling effort, and expected outputs.

Proposers may submit multiple proposals but each individual proposal may address only one sub-element, and multiple proposals within the same sub-element must be differentiated by distinct topics, goals, or objectives.

Scope of Solicited Work

Proposed work must primarily benefit the United States, focusing on US states, territories, and tribal lands, or demonstrating direct benefit to national priorities. Eligible thematic areas include agriculture, disasters, natural resources, health and air quality, water, wildland fire, energy, and infrastructure, with cross-cutting challenges especially encouraged. Examples cited in the solicitation include wind damage risk assessments, agricultural pest and nutrient stress management (including screwworm and armyworm), early warning systems for infectious and vector-borne disease, integrated terrestrial and coastal water monitoring, conservation and hunting/fishing community support, urban and rural infrastructure resilience, and improved real-time multi-sensor Earth observability.

Eligibility

Open to US institutions of all types, including academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, non-profits, and private sector for-profit entities. Non-traditional and cross-sector partners are explicitly welcomed. Work that relies on proprietary data or methods that will not be publicly disseminated is ineligible for this element and should instead be directed to ROSES element A.10 (INNOVATE). Federal agencies other than NASA are not eligible for funding under this element, though government personnel may participate as unfunded collaborators. Non-US organizations may participate on a no-exchange-of-funds basis, with their portion of the work funded through other sources.

Proposal Format and Page Limits

The Science/Technical/Management (S/T/M) section is limited to 10 pages, excluding references and the Table of Work Effort. All proposals must describe alignment with the Scope of Solicited Work and the Earth Science to Action (ES2A) strategy. Needs and Opportunities proposals must describe the user engagement and co-design strategy and the potential for improving decision-making. Solutions Development and Scaling Impact proposals must additionally describe current and expected decision-making methods, the end-user's authority to act on project results, at least one supporting NASA Earth observation or model, methodology rationale (including AI/ML use where applicable), anticipated impact, and a transition plan. Scaling Impact proposals must also describe existing decision-support capabilities and the demonstrated impact of prior solutions.

Dual-Anonymous Peer Review

All proposals will be evaluated under NASA's dual-anonymous peer review (DAPR) process, meaning proposers do not know reviewer identities and reviewers do not learn proposer identities until after evaluation. The anonymized proposal document may name the end-user organization but not the individual Co-I representing it. Required anonymized components include the S/T/M section (with numerically formatted reference callouts), references, an anonymized Table of Personnel and Work Effort, and a redacted budget and budget narrative. A separate, non-anonymized "Expertise and Resources Not Anonymized" document must be uploaded containing team member roles and affiliations, a non-anonymized Table of Personnel and Work Effort, biographical sketches and Current and Pending Support in SciENcv format, letters of support, and facilities/equipment descriptions. The Open Science and Data Management Plan (2 pages) must also be anonymized. Total Budget must be uploaded separately and unredacted. Proposals that fail to follow anonymization or formatting requirements may be returned without review.

Research Security Training Requirement

Effective August 5, 2026, all PIs and any Co-Is dedicating 10% or more of their time to a proposed award must certify completion of research security training, satisfied by either the four NSF Research Security Training modules or the SECURE Center's condensed equivalent.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals are evaluated on Intrinsic Merit, Relevance, and Cost. Relevance evaluation considers alignment with the program's priority topics, the Scope of Solicited Work, and the ES2A strategy, along with the scalability and substance of the proposed decision-making impact. For Needs and Opportunities, Intrinsic Merit considers the quality of the user engagement and needs assessment strategy and its potential for lasting impact. For Solutions Development and Scaling Impact, Intrinsic Merit considers the likelihood of substantive, scalable impact; the quality of the co-development and adoption strategy; clarity around the end-user's decision-making authority and process; innovation and technical feasibility; and the quality of the transition plan into user operations. Cost evaluation includes the quality of the management plan and project timeline.

What are the formatting and page limits?

Technical proposals are capped at 15 pages (graphs, charts, and tables may run up to 10 additional oversized pages), submitted as unclassified PDFs in 12-point Times New Roman with one-inch margins. The mandatory cover page and signed Representation and Certification (Attachment 0002) are excluded from the page count, as are supplementary appendices.

Data and Publication Policy

All useful data, software, and peer-reviewed publications resulting from funded work must be made publicly available by the end of the award period of performance, consistent with NASA's Science Information Policy. The program also seeks science conducted per Executive Order 14303, Restoring Gold Standard Science, meaning work that is reproducible, transparent, communicative of error and uncertainty, collaborative, interdisciplinary, skeptical of its own findings, structured for falsifiability, and treats negative results as valid outcomes.

Pre-Proposal Teleconference

NASA will hold an optional pre-proposal teleconference on Monday, August 31, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:30 PM Eastern Time, on a first-to-dial-in basis with no advance reservation required. The session will be hosted by program officer Dr. Erin Urquhart. Connection details:

Submission Logistics

Proposals must be submitted electronically through NSPIRES at https://nspires.nasaprs.com. No hard copies are permitted. Applicants who need to submit via Grants.gov must request access at least 30 days before the due date from the main point of contact, with a copy to sara@nasa.gov. The Grants.gov funding opportunity number is NNH25ZDA001N-AES.

Additional Resources

Contact our team for the PDF solicitation.

Cornerstone CIR CS-24-1801: Defense Industrial Base Workforce Development Initiative

Quick Answer

CIR CS-24-1801 is a Cornerstone Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) solicitation from Army Contracting Command-Rock Island seeking fixed-price prototype proposals to build workforce development programs across Critical Minerals, Kinetics, Industrial Manufacturing Technologies, and Microelectronics, with the Government planning to award at least ten agreements and proposals due October 30, 2026.

What is CIR CS-24-1801?

It is a Project Call issued under the overarching SAMDIB Cornerstone Initiative Request, administered by Army Contracting Command-Rock Island in support of the Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center. It falls under the Cornerstone Other Transaction Agreement (COTA), meaning only registered Cornerstone consortium members are eligible to respond.

What problem is this initiative trying to solve?

The defense industrial base is losing ground to persistent technical skill gaps, an aging workforce, and rising system complexity across four sectors the Department of War considers pivotal to production capacity and readiness: Critical Minerals, Kinetics (hypersonics, UAS, munitions), Industrial Manufacturing Technologies (castings and forgings, robotics and automation, additive and subtractive manufacturing), and Microelectronics. Without a modernized, scalable talent pipeline, the Department sees a direct risk to its ability to build and sustain next-generation defense systems.

What is the Government actually looking to fund?

Scalable workforce development models that combine modernized, industry-aligned curricula with hands-on apprenticeship or internship components. Classroom-only or purely theoretical programs will not meet the intent of the call. Proposals are expected to be built around Public-Private-Academic Partnerships (PPAP), incorporate industry-recognized certification pathways (examples cited include NIMS for machining and AWS for welding), integrate K-12 STEM outreach to build a longer-term pipeline, and include a system for tracking personnel trained, certified, and placed within the DIB.

Are there "above and beyond" capabilities the Government wants to see?

Yes. The solicitation includes a wish list of stretch capabilities offerors can incorporate to strengthen a proposal, including AI, quantum computing, and biotechnology workforce pilots; XR/VR and digital twin training environments for high-cost equipment like semiconductor fabs; regional training hubs in defense-dense locations such as Huntsville and Guam; predictive analytics platforms for employer-candidate matching; robotic welding and AI-driven quality control training; alignment with allied workforce standards such as AUKUS; and wraparound apprentice support like housing, transportation, and childcare.

How many awards will the Government make, and what type?

The Government intends to award at least ten fixed-price prototype Other Transaction agreements, though it reserves the right to award more, fewer, or none if submissions don't meet the bar. Period of performance runs up to four years, with the potential for a follow-on production award under 10 U.S.C. 4022(f) if a prototype is completed successfully. There is no guarantee of follow-on work.

Who is eligible to submit a proposal?

Offerors must be registered Cornerstone consortium members and must hold an active Joint Certification Program (JCP) registration in order to handle the unclassified military technical data associated with this initiative. Given the sensitivity of the Kinetics and Microelectronics focus areas, programs must also prioritize training for U.S. citizens eligible for security clearances and adhere to ITAR/EAR requirements.

What does the proposal need to include?

At minimum: an innovative technical approach to the problem statement, available and planned facilities, positive impact across four IBAS Workforce lines of effort (recruiting and awareness, training and capacity increase, hiring and retention, and data and analytics), a method for collecting and presenting return on investment, and risk mitigation factors. A separate fixed-price cost proposal is required, with any cost sharing clearly identified per 10 U.S.C. 4022.

What are the formatting and page limits?

Technical proposals are capped at 15 pages (graphs, charts, and tables may run up to 10 additional oversized pages), submitted as unclassified PDFs in 12-point Times New Roman with one-inch margins. The mandatory cover page and signed Representation and Certification (Attachment 0002) are excluded from the page count, as are supplementary appendices.

What is the timeline?

The CIR was issued July 9, 2026. Questions must be submitted by 12:00 PM Central on August 31, 2026, and proposals are due by 12:00 PM Central on October 30, 2026. Proposals must remain valid for six months from the closing date.

How are proposals evaluated?

This is a one-step evaluation weighing technical merit, feasibility of implementation, past performance on similar efforts, and total project risk, with proposed price, schedule, and data rights assertions considered as part of the overall risk-reward assessment. The Government places specific emphasis on how innovative and unique the proposed approach is relative to the stated requirements.

What happens to intellectual property?

IP terms are negotiated case-by-case, generally under Government Purpose Rights or Limited Rights. Offerors submit their data rights assertions using the template provided in Enclosure 2 of the CIR.

Additional Resources

Contact our team for the PDF solicitation.

Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge: $550K DoD Prize Competition for Guam's Brown Tree Snake

Quick Answer

The Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge is a DoD-sponsored prize competition offering up to $550,000 in cash awards for autonomous detection, tracking, and control technologies to address Guam's invasive brown tree snake population, with potential Other Transaction Authority (OTA) pathways to direct procurement.

What is the Autonomous Eradication Technologies Challenge?

It is a recurring, rolling-cycle prize challenge sponsored by Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC), the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program / Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (SERDP/ESTCP), and DARPA. Central Florida Tech Grove administers the challenge and hosts the Virtual Demonstration Days where finalists present to government stakeholders. The same opportunity is also listed on InnoCentive under the title "Autonomous Eradication Technologies for Guam's Invasive Brown Tree Snakes."

What problem is this challenge trying to solve?

Guam's brown tree snake has caused decades of ecological and economic damage. The snake has driven the local extinction or decline of most native forest bird species on the island and causes roughly $4.5 million a year in economic losses through power outages from snakes contacting electrical infrastructure. It also poses a risk to military installations and personnel on Guam, a strategically critical U.S. Indo-Pacific location. Traditional control methods, including aerial delivery of acetaminophen-treated bait, have had limited success in Guam's dense forest canopy and rugged terrain. Island-wide eradication is considered nearly impossible without new technology.

What technologies are sponsors looking for?

The challenge is intentionally broad. Priority technology areas include:

• Drones and unmanned systems

• Autonomous robotics

• Advanced sensors and detection systems

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning

• Predictive modeling and data analytics

• Communications and decision-support tools

Solutions must be able to operate in dense forest canopy, rugged terrain, and night conditions, detect hidden targets, and support large-area autonomous surveillance missions.

How much prize money is available?

Up to $550,000 in total cash prizes. The listing does not publish a per-cycle or per-tier award breakdown. For comparison, other Central Florida Tech Grove and NavalX-funded DoD prize challenges have structured single-cycle awards at roughly $50,000 for first place, $30,000 for second, and $20,000 for third. Separately, federal Brown Tree Snake Control Program grant funding through the Department of the Interior has run between approximately $3.4 million and $4.1 million annually across multiple agencies, indicating a sustained, well-funded federal program behind this challenge rather than a one-off pilot.

Is this just a cash prize, or is there a path to a contract?

Both. Beyond the cash award, selected participants may qualify for Other Transaction Authority (OTA) pathways, direct procurement discussions, and field demonstration opportunities on Guam with U.S. military and federal agency stakeholders. The challenge is structured as a recurring feeder program, not a one-time grant.

Who is eligible to participate?

Participation is broad. Startups, universities, defense contractors, AI and drone teams, robotics developers, sensor engineers, and environmental technology innovators are all eligible. No prior experience with brown tree snakes, wildlife management, or Guam is required.

Do I need to submit by a single deadline?

No. This runs as a recurring, rolling-cycle prize challenge with monthly submission, evaluation, and virtual presentation windows. The current listed deadline is December 1, 2026 at 21:59 CST, but organizations may submit multiple solutions and resubmit in future cycles as their technology matures.

What happens after I submit?

Submissions are reviewed by a panel of government stakeholders. A limited number of organizations are selected for a Virtual Demonstration Day, where they present and demonstrate their capabilities directly to government end users. Selection can lead to prize awards and, potentially, follow-on opportunities to develop, transition, produce, and deploy the solution.

Do I keep ownership of my technology and IP?

Yes. Solvers retain all IP rights to their submissions. Submitting a solution does not transfer ownership or exclusive rights to the government or challenge sponsors. Only a non-exclusive, royalty-free license is requested, and solely for evaluation purposes.

Are there any restrictions on what I can propose or submit?

Yes, two worth noting. First, submissions must not contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). Second, some brown tree snake control methods, notably acetaminophen-based toxicants, are restricted by the EPA to trained government personnel; any submission proposing a regulated intervention must describe a realistic compliance pathway.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

U.S. SBA’s Office of Investment and Innovation - Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program - SBA-OIIGA-26-001

Quick Answer

The Supply Chain Acceleration and Logistics Enablement (SCALE) Program is a new FY 2026 grant opportunity from the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Investment and Innovation. SCALE funds organizations that deliver accelerator programming, technical assistance, and industry engagement to help small businesses overcome supply chain barriers in strategically important industries.

Funding Opportunity Number: SBA-OIIGA-26-001

How Much Funding Is Available Through SCALE?

SBA has allocated $9,000,000 in total FY 2026 funding under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026. SBA expects to make approximately 20 awards, each up to $500,000, over a 24-month period of performance. Awards begin September 30, 2026.

When Is the SCALE Program Deadline?

The application window opened July 7, 2026 and closes August 7, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Late submissions are rejected without evaluation, and Grants.gov registration alone can take one to two weeks, so organizations should begin the process immediately.

Who Is Eligible to Apply for SCALE Funding?

Eligible applicants are public or private entities, for-profit organizations, nonprofits, or institutions that plan to deliver accelerator programming, technical assistance, or industry engagement supporting small businesses in one of six priority supply chains:

• Advanced Manufacturing

• Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Supply Chains

• Defense Industrial Base Technologies and Components

• Energy, Critical Materials, and Industrial Inputs

• Food Supply and Agricultural Systems

• Transportation, Logistics, and Industrial Infrastructure

Each applicant may submit only one proposal. Organizations must have an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov to register on Grants.gov and receive an award.

Who Is Ineligible for the SCALE Program?

Applications are automatically rejected without evaluation if the organization:

• Owes an unresolved financial obligation to the federal government

• Is currently suspended or debarred from federal awards

• Has an unresolved Single Audit Act deficiency within the past three years

• Filed for bankruptcy within the past five years

• Proposes to act as a pass-through entity

• Was convicted of a federal felony, or had an officer or agent convicted, within the preceding two years

What Does a SCALE Proposal Need to Include?

A complete SCALE application consists of five parts:

1. Cover Letter (1 page)

2. Technical Approach and Organizational Qualifications (5 pages each, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman)

3. Attachments and Exhibits, including resumes, consulting agreements, and an organizational chart

4. Budget Information, including SF-424, SF-424A, a Budget Detail Worksheet, Budget Narrative, Cost Policy Statement, and Indirect Cost Statement

5. Certification Forms and Assurances, including a recent A-133 audit or financial statements

How Are SCALE Applications Scored?

Applications are evaluated on a 100-point scale:

• Technical Approach: 80 points total, covering Supply Chain Challenge and Opportunity (20 points), Small Business Support Programming (45 points), and Key Milestones and Outcomes (15 points)

• Organizational Qualifications: 20 points total, covering Organizational Mission and Long-Term Viability (4 points), Project Team and Management Approach (4 points), Data Collection and Performance Management (4 points), and Relevant Experience and Past Performance (8 points)

SBA sets a minimum acceptable score before evaluation begins and also considers overall portfolio balance, meaning a high-scoring proposal can still be passed over if it duplicates the industry focus of another selected applicant. Per Executive Order 14332, SBA gives preference to organizations with lower indirect costs when all else is equal.

How BW&CO Can Help

BW&CO Consulting helps deep-tech, biotech, medtech, healthtech, and defense-adjacent organizations position competitive federal funding applications, including complex multi-part submissions like SCALE. Our team supports technical narrative development, budget structuring, partnership alignment, and Grants.gov submission logistics so applicants can meet the August 7, 2026 deadline with a complete, evaluation-ready package.

Contact BW&CO Consulting to discuss SCALE Program eligibility and proposal strategy.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here: Subnet BAA

DLA SUBNET BAA (SP4701-26-B-0003):

Quick Answer

The Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Subsistence Network (SUBNET) Broad Agency Announcement is a five-year, unrestricted BAA (posted July 14, 2026) offering up to $35 million through Fiscal Year 2030 for R&D that modernizes the military's food supply chain. Small businesses in food technology, smart packaging, robotics, AI, and autonomous logistics are strongly encouraged to apply. There are no set-asides, but no minimum size standard exclusions either: any responsible small business can compete directly against large primes, and the program is explicitly designed to reward innovation over incumbency.

What Is the SUBNET BAA?

SUBNET (BAA SP4701-26-B-0003) is a Defense Logistics Agency-sponsored Department of War Manufacturing Technology Program focused on Class I (Subsistence) supply chain modernization. It funds an initiative called ALICE, the Advanced Logistics Initiative for Contested Environments, which is shifting DLA away from pure "pull-based" resupply toward a hybrid push-pull model built on three pillars:

Agile & Predictive Acquisition — rapid acquisition pathways for shelf-stable, freeze-dried, vacuum-sealed, and UHT-processed rations with 5-7+ year shelf lives.

Smart Packaging & Strategic Pre-Positioning — packaging with embedded real-time tracking, environmental sensors, and chemical indicators for food safety and quality.

Autonomous & Resilient Distribution — unmanned ground vehicles, cargo drones, and robotics for last-tactical-mile delivery in contested environments.

Beyond these pillars, DLA lists 20 additional areas of interest, including AI-driven supply chain optimization, additive manufacturing (3D food printing), sustainable food production, robotics and automation for ration assembly, food safety and defense, and circular economy/waste reduction solutions.

Key Facts at a Glance

Solicitation Number: BAA SP4701-26-B-0003

Issuing Agency: Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Troop Support

Posted: July 14, 2026

BAA Duration: 5 years (open through 2030/2031)

Total Program Ceiling: Up to $35 million, FY2026 to FY2030

Typical Award Duration: 6 to 36 months

Set-Asides: None (unrestricted, but small businesses are actively encouraged)

Small Business Size Standard: 1,000 employees

NAICS Code: 541715

Subcontracting Plan Trigger: Required for large businesses/non-profits on awards over $750,000

Certified Cost/Pricing Data Trigger: Required for proposals of $2 million or more

Who Should Apply?

This BAA is unusually broad and directly relevant to deep-tech and dual-use startups that may not think of themselves as "defense food" companies. If your company works in any of the following, SUBNET is worth a look:

Combat rations, shelf-stable food, or nutrition science

Smart packaging, IoT sensors, or cold-chain/condition monitoring

Robotics and automation (including ration assembly or warehouse automation)

Autonomous ground vehicles or cargo drones for last-mile logistics

AI/ML for supply chain and demand forecasting

Additive manufacturing (3D printing) applied to food or materials

Sustainable or alternative food production (vertical farming, plant-based protein, lab-grown nutrients)

Water security and hydration technology

Cybersecurity applied to supply chain condition monitoring (CMMC Level 1 relevant)

Teaming with established combat ration assemblers (such as AmeriQual, Baxters, or Sopakco) is encouraged but not required.

How the Two-Stage Process Works

SUBNET uses a staged, low-burden approach designed to reduce risk for both DLA and offerors.

Stage I: Feasibility Study (up to 12 months)

No prototype is required. Offerors deliver a feasibility study that includes a Concept of Operations (CONOPS), functional and system requirements, preliminary metrics (KPPs/KPIs/KSAs), and an estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL). DLA evaluates the study as Acceptable or Unacceptable and may invite the offeror to propose for Stage II.

Stage II: Prototype or Conceptual Solution Development (up to 24 months)

Offerors choose one of two paths:

COA A (Analytical Study or Conceptual Solution): in-depth modeling, simulation, or process recommendations ready for DLA to adopt.

COA B (Prototype Development): a physical prototype at a minimum of TRL 7, with formal test and evaluation.

Fast-track option:

Companies with a documented history of successful past SUBNET performance may skip Stage I entirely and propose directly for Stage II.

How to Apply: White Paper First

DLA does not accept unsolicited full proposals. The process starts with a White Paper, limited to 6 pages (cover sheet, 1-page executive summary, and up to 4 pages covering goals, technical plan, capabilities, and cost/schedule). The mandatory template is provided in Attachment A of the BAA.

The White Paper must answer four questions:

What is the proposed work attempting to accomplish?

How is it done today, and what are the limitations?

Who benefits, and what is the impact if successful?

How much will it cost, and how long will it take?

White papers are not scored competitively. DLA either responds that the concept is not of interest, or invites a full technical and cost proposal. Only proposals invited after a white paper will be evaluated.

Submit white papers by email to:

Andrea.Nicolucci@dla.mil

Lauren.Runowski@dla.mil

CC: RandD.DCSO@dla.mil

How Proposals Are Evaluated

If invited to submit a full proposal, technical proposals (20 pages max) are evaluated through a peer/scientific review process on four factors, each rated Highly Acceptable, Acceptable, or Not Acceptable:

Feasibility (Overall Scientific and Technical Merit): Is the technology real or realistically achievable? TRL 4+ approaches score highest.

Viability: Can DoW/DLA actually adopt this given policy, cybersecurity, and FedRAMP constraints?

Desirability: Will end users actually want and use it?

Past Performance: Relevant experience in the last three years. Companies without past performance are rated neutrally, not penalized.

Cost proposals are evaluated separately for cost realism and are not the controlling factor in award decisions.

Why This Matters for Small Businesses

Unlike many defense R&D vehicles, SUBNET carries no set-asides, which means there is no artificial ceiling on small business participation. It also has no dedicated small business allocation, so small businesses compete on technical merit alongside large primes. Combined with the low-burden Stage I feasibility study (no prototype required, no per-project page-heavy proposal until DLA is already interested), this is a comparatively accessible entry point into Department of War-adjacent funding for companies that have never held a defense contract.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DLA SUBNET BAA?

DLA SUBNET (BAA SP4701-26-B-0003) is a Broad Agency Announcement from the Defense Logistics Agency funding R&D that modernizes the military's Class I subsistence (food) supply chain, with up to $35 million available through Fiscal Year 2030.

Is SUBNET set aside for small businesses?

No. SUBNET is an unrestricted acquisition with no set-asides, because DLA determined the research areas could not practically be reserved. However, DLA actively encourages small businesses, including SDBs, WOSBs, HUBZone firms, VOSBs, and SDVOSBs, to submit white papers.

Do I need a prototype to apply?

No. Stage I is a feasibility study only, with no prototype development required. A physical prototype is only required in Stage II, and only if the offeror selects Course of Action B (Prototype Development).

How do I submit a proposal to SUBNET?

You cannot submit a full proposal directly. You must first submit a 6-page White Paper using the mandatory template in Attachment A. If DLA finds it of interest, the Contracting Officer will invite a full technical and cost proposal.

How long does SUBNET funding last?

Individual awards typically run 6 to 36 months. The BAA itself remains open for five years, from Fiscal Year 2026 through Fiscal Year 2030.

What technologies is DLA looking for under SUBNET?

Priority areas include shelf-stable and freeze-dried rations, smart packaging with embedded sensors, autonomous ground vehicles and cargo drones for last-mile delivery, AI-driven supply chain optimization, robotics for ration assembly, additive manufacturing (3D food printing), and sustainable food production methods.

Who is the point of contact for the SUBNET BAA?

White papers and questions should be directed to Andrea Nicolucci and Lauren Runowski at Andrea.Nicolucci@dla.mil and Lauren.Runowski@dla.mil, with a copy to RandD.DCSO@dla.mil.

How BW&CO Can Help

• Assess whether your technology fits SUBNET's Areas of Interest and whether Stage I or a direct-to-Stage II path makes sense for you

• Draft and refine your 6-page White Paper using DLA's mandatory template

• Build out the CONOPS, functional requirements, and TRL positioning DLA evaluators expect

• Prepare your technical and cost proposal if invited past the White Paper stage

• Identify teaming partners, including combat ration assemblers, if a partnership strengthens your proposal

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here: Subnet BAA

Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Enterprise Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) - FA8652-26-S-C003

Last updated: July 12, 2026. Verify current status of any referenced Spiral on SAM.gov before submitting — Spirals open, close, and are added on a rolling basis.

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in Additional Resources).

Quick Answer

The AFRL Enterprise CSO is a standing, indefinite-duration umbrella announcement that the Air Force Research Laboratory uses to launch specific competitive solicitations, called Spirals, across nearly 100 technology Areas of Interest spanning air, space, cyber/electronic warfare, cross-domain, and basic research. Companies don't apply to the Enterprise CSO directly; they respond to an individual Spiral issued under it, using either a one-step process (Commercial Solutions Proposal) or a two-step process (Commercial Solutions Brief, followed by an invited Commercial Solutions Proposal). Awards can be FAR Part 12 commercial contracts or Other Transaction Prototype agreements.

Unlike many CSOs, foreign participation here is prohibited outright — this is not a "restricted but possible" eligibility gate.

Key Facts at a Glance

•     Administering agency: Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL)

•     Solicitation number: FA8652-26-S-C003 (Amendment 01, 8 July 2026)

•     Authority: 10 U.S.C. § 3458; R-DFARS Subpart 212.70; NDAA FY22 § 803

•     Opportunity type: Enterprise-level CSO umbrella — actual competitions occur under individual Spirals

•     Duration: Active indefinitely; updated annually until terminated

•     Areas of Interest: Approximately 94 sub-areas across five domains (Air, Space, Cyber/Electronic Warfare, Cross-Domain, Basic Research)

•     Application format: One-Step: Commercial Solutions Proposal (CSP). Two-Step: Commercial Solutions Brief (CSB) — PowerPoint plus white paper — then an invited CSP

•     Award mechanisms: FAR Part 12 fixed-price contract, or Other Transaction for Prototype (OTP) under 10 U.S.C. § 4022, including follow-on production

•     Typical award size: Not specified in the solicitation. Awards under comparable DoD CSO/OTP mechanisms have ranged from roughly $100,000 for early feasibility efforts to $10 million or more for larger prototype demonstrations — actual amounts depend entirely on the Spiral and funding available

•     Who can apply: U.S. commercial companies, small businesses, nontraditional defense contractors, nonprofit research institutions

•     Who cannot apply: Foreign persons and FOCI (foreign-owned, controlled, or influenced) entities — prohibited outright, no exceptions stated

•     Security requirement: NIST SP 800-171 compliance for Covered Defense Information; a Science and Technology Protection Initial Risk Review for selectable proposals

How This CSO Actually Works: Enterprise CSO + Spirals

This is the single most important structural fact to understand before pursuing this opportunity: FA8652-26-S-C003 is not itself a solicitation you submit against. It's a framework document that authorizes AFRL Mission Organizations (its internal directorates) to issue individual Spirals — the actual competitive solicitations — at any time, tied to specific Areas of Interest.

Each Spiral specifies its own Areas of Interest in scope, submission format, dates, and evaluation criteria, and states whether it's Open (accepts submissions on a rolling basis) or Closed (narrows scope, hard deadline — late submissions are handled per FAR 52.212-1(c) and generally not considered). It will also state whether it uses a One-Step or Two-Step process.

One-Step Spiral (Commercial Solutions Proposal): Submit a complete CSP directly — technical proposal, price proposal, and Statement of Work. Evaluated once, then categorized as Selectable, Selectable/Insufficient Funding, or Not Selectable.

Two-Step Spiral (Commercial Solutions Brief, then Commercial Solutions Proposal): Step 1 is a CSB — a PowerPoint briefing plus a white paper (the Government may substitute a Pitch instead). It's evaluated on Technical Merit/Applicability and Funding Availability, weighted equally. If categorized Selectable, you're invited to Step 2: a full CSP (technical proposal, price proposal, SOW), evaluated on Technical Merit/Applicability, Importance to Agency Programs, Price, and Funding Availability, all weighted equally.

Because new Spirals can be issued at any time against any of the roughly 94 Areas of Interest, companies with relevant dual-use technology should monitor SAM.gov regularly rather than treating this as a one-time application.

Active Spiral as of This Writing

As of mid-2026, AFRL has an active Centralized, Open Two-Step Spiral (FA8652-26-S-C005) accepting Commercial Solutions Briefs, currently scoped to the Foundational Technologies (AFRL/RE) mission organization, open April 30, 2026 through April 30, 2027. This is a live, actionable entry point today — but confirm current scope and status on SAM.gov, since additional Spirals may have opened, or this one may have been amended, since this page was last updated.

Areas of Interest

Solution Briefs and Proposals must map to one or more of the Areas of Interest below. Each AOI sits within one of five domains; the specific Spiral you respond to will define which AOIs are currently in scope.

1. Air Domain Technologies

•     Human Performance Optimization — physical, cognitive, and human-machine interface techniques that enhance warfighter capability and resilience.

•     Aerospace Medicine and Operational Health — physiological monitoring, environmental protection, and medical support for air, space, and cyber operations.

•     Warfighter Survivability and Protection — personal protective equipment, threat detection, casualty care, and directed-energy protection.

•     Cognitive and Behavioral Sciences — perception, decision-making, and human-system interaction in complex environments.

•     Advanced Air Vehicles — next-generation aircraft: high-speed flight, maneuverability, stealth, optionally-manned configurations.

•     Air Propulsion Systems — turbine engines, scramjets and ramjets, and advanced powerplants.

•     Aerodynamics and Flight Sciences — flight control, stability, and performance research for maneuverability and endurance.

•     Hypersonics — materials, propulsion, guidance, and control for Mach 5+ flight.

•     Advanced Weapons Technologies — smart munitions, precision-guided munitions, novel warhead designs.

•     Energetics and Propellants — advanced energetic materials, propellants, and explosives with improved safety and performance.

•     Guidance Navigation and Control — accuracy, maneuverability, and target discrimination systems.

•     Munitions Survivability and Countermeasures — munition robustness against countermeasures and hostile environments.

•     Rocket Systems — solid, liquid, and hybrid rocket motors, propellants, thrust vector control, and tactical missile integration.

•     Nuclear Deterrence Technologies — strategic delivery platform modernization, NC3 systems, and fuzing/guidance for deterrence.

2. Space Domain Technologies

•     Space Access and Orbital Systems — launch vehicles, space propulsion, and maneuvering systems for reliable access to space.

•     Spacecraft and Satellite Technologies — satellite bus design, payloads, communications, and on-orbit servicing.

•     Space Power and Propulsion — solar arrays, energy storage, and electric propulsion for satellite life and maneuverability.

•     On-Orbit Operations and Autonomy — autonomous spacecraft operations, rendezvous and proximity operations, and debris mitigation.

•     Space Domain Awareness — sensors and analytics to detect, track, and characterize space objects and threats.

•     Resilient and Survivable Space Architecture — distributed constellations and hardened systems for contested environments.

•     Space Environment and Effects — space weather and radiation effects mitigation for space assets.

•     Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) From and For Space — space-based positioning, navigation, and timing systems.

•     Satellite Assembly, Integration & Testing — processes and facilities for spacecraft integration and environmental test/verification.

3. Cyberspace / Electronic Warfare Domain Technologies

•     Cyber Operations and Cybersecurity — offensive and defensive cyber capabilities, threat intelligence, and incident response.

•     Communications and Networks — software-defined radios, dynamic spectrum management, and resilient tactical networks.

•     Electronic Warfare and Spectrum Operations — electromagnetic spectrum dominance: signal processing, electronic attack and protection.

•     Quantum Technologies — quantum computing, communication, and sensing; algorithms for intractable problems.

•     Electro-Optical and Infrared Sensors — imaging and sensing across visible, infrared, and ultraviolet spectra for detection and tracking.

•     Radar and Radio Frequency Sensors — AESA, synthetic aperture radar, and low-probability-of-intercept/detection radar for target tracking.

•     Multispectral and Hyperspectral Sensing — multi-band sensors for material discrimination and camouflage detection.

•     Signal Processing and Sensor Fusion — multi-sensor integration for target recognition and situational awareness.

•     Quantum Sensing and Advanced Properties — photonic and quantum devices for sensitivity, resolution, and miniaturization.

•     Directed Energy Sensing and Countermeasures — sensors detecting and characterizing directed-energy threats.

•     High-Energy Laser Systems — scalable high-power lasers (solid-state, fiber) and beam control for weaponization.

•     Photonics — light-based capabilities for sensing, quantum information science, and directed energy.

•     High-Power Electromagnetic Technologies — high-power microwave sources, pulse power, and antennas for non-kinetic disable/disrupt effects.

•     High Power Electromagnetic Effects — physics-level and system-level testing of high-power microwave and particle-beam effects.

•     High Power Electromagnetic Applications — end-to-end high-power electromagnetic system design, build, integration, and field testing.

•     Beam Control and Adaptive Optics — beam steering and atmospheric compensation for laser accuracy.

•     Directed Energy Effects and Countermeasures — physical and operational effects of directed-energy weapons and defensive countermeasures.

•     Cybersecurity for Digital Environments — threat detection, vulnerability assessment, and resilient digital architectures.

•     Navigation Warfare and Counter PNT — disrupting adversary PNT and protecting friendly PNT in GPS-denied environments.

4. Cross-Domain Technologies

•     Human Systems Integration — human factors engineering, user interface design, and cognitive support for system usability.

•     Human-Machine Teaming and Interfaces — improving interaction between humans and AI-enabled systems.

•     Training and Simulation Technologies — virtual reality, augmented reality, serious gaming, and adaptive learning for readiness and mission rehearsal.

•     Rapid Multi-Domain Integration — interoperable, networked systems combining air, space, cyber, EW, and ground capabilities.

•     Advanced Systems Engineering — requirements engineering, architecture, modeling and simulation, and verification/validation.

•     Integrated Vehicle Health Management — real-time platform monitoring and diagnostics for safety and readiness.

•     Power and Thermal Management — power generation, storage, distribution, and thermal dissipation technologies.

•     Advanced Materials Development — high-temperature ceramics, lightweight composites, metamaterials, and bio-inspired materials.

•     Additive Manufacturing — on-demand production of complex geometries and multi-material components.

•     Materials Processing and Fabrication — nanomanufacturing, advanced joining, surface engineering, and coatings.

•     Materials Characterization and Testing — experimental and computational methods to understand material performance.

•     Environmentally Responsive and Smart Materials — adaptive, sensing, and self-healing materials.

•     Microelectronics — micro-scale electronics and integrated circuits for defense and aerospace systems.

•     Model-Based Systems Engineering, Digital Engineering, and Digital Thread — digital twins and virtual prototypes across the system lifecycle.

•     Advanced Simulation and Virtual Prototyping — computer-aided engineering simulation and testing before physical creation.

•     Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence — machine learning and AI for predictive analytics, pattern recognition, and automated reasoning.

•     Additive Manufacturing Digital Integration — generative design, topology optimization, and in-situ additive manufacturing process monitoring.

•     Low C-SWAP Alternative PNT for Attritable Systems — affordable, expendable PNT for disposable unmanned aircraft in GPS-denied environments.

•     Modular Open Architecture for Resilient PNT — standardized-interface PNT systems enabling rapid upgrades.

•     Robotics Technologies — autonomous and semi-autonomous robots for logistics, maintenance, and hazardous-environment tasks.

•     Software Systems Development — DevSecOps, modular open architecture, and AI/ML/autonomy software.

•     Physiological Operations — systems exploiting human cognition to influence adversary decision-making.

•     Runtime Assurance (RTA) for AI — real-time safety monitoring that reverts AI systems to a trusted backup controller.

•     Autonomy (for Airborne Platforms) — uncrewed aerial systems that navigate and execute missions with minimal human input.

5. Basic Research Technologies (AFOSR-Aligned)

•     Energetic Solid-State Physics and Mechanochemistry — chemistry and physics of solid-state energetic materials under extreme conditions.

•     Energy, Combustion, and Non-Equilibrium Thermodynamics — chemical energy conversion for propulsion, electricity, and directed energy.

•     Aerodynamic Sciences — fundamental flowfield physics across internal and external configurations.

•     High-Speed Aerodynamics — high-speed, high-temperature non-equilibrium flow physics.

•     Aerospace Composite Materials — chemistry, physics, and mechanics of novel composite materials.

•     Aerospace Structures — emerging structural materials, meta-architectures, and intelligent subsystems.

•     Propulsion and Power — fundamental discovery to enable enhanced maneuver and power capabilities.

•     Agile Science for Test and Evaluation (T&E) — metrology and test methods across autonomy, hypersonics, and cyber/microelectronics.

•     Computational Cognition and Machine Intelligence — mathematical and computational foundations of machine intelligence and human-machine alignment.

•     Computational Mathematics — algorithms for large-scale engineering, design, and predictive simulation.

•     Dynamical Systems and Control Theory — mathematics of analysis and control for complex dynamical systems.

•     Dynamic Data and Information Processing — real-time model refinement using measured or simulated data.

•     Information Assurance and Cybersecurity — securing distributed systems, nanoscale devices, and quantum information.

•     Mathematical Optimization — theory and algorithms for allocation, planning, logistics, and scheduling problems.

•     Science of Information, Computation, Learning, and Fusion — extracting information from large, heterogeneous, multi-modal data.

•     Trust and Influence — social and cognitive principles of trust between humans and intelligent agents.

•     Complex Networks — structural analysis of large, dynamic, interdependent network systems.

•     Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience — neural mechanisms of perception, cognition, and behavior; brain-inspired computing.

•     Atomic and Molecular Physics — cold and ultra-cold quantum gases, precision measurement, and matter-wave optics.

•     Electromagnetics — linear and nonlinear electromagnetics and signal processing.

•     Optoelectronics and Photonics — light-matter interaction at the nanoscale for communications and computation.

•     High-Energy Radiation-Matter Systems — interaction of electromagnetic energy and matter for directed-energy weapons and sensors.

•     Quantum Information Sciences — non-classical phenomena for information analysis, storage, and protection.

•     Physics of Sensing — fundamental physics of remote detection and object characterization.

•     Space Physics — solar-terrestrial environment effects on tracking, communications, and navigation.

•     Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions — physical phenomena from ultrashort-pulse laser interactions with matter.

•     Condensed Matter Physics — new quantum phases and macroscopic properties in solid-state materials.

•     Astrodynamics — physics of motion and control of natural and artificial objects in Earth/Moon/Sun gravity fields.

Which AFRL Directorate Owns Which Domain

Every Area of Interest is mapped to one or more AFRL Mission Organizations in Attachment 1 — this determines who within AFRL actually reviews your submission. At a domain level:

•     Air Warfare (AFRL/RA): concentrated in Air Domain Technologies, plus select Cross-Domain and Basic Research areas

•     Foundational Technologies / AFOSR (AFRL/RE): the dominant directorate across nearly all of Basic Research Technologies, plus broad Cross-Domain coverage

•     Information & Spectrum Warfare (AFRL/RF): heavy coverage across Air, Space, and especially Cyberspace/Electronic Warfare Domain Technologies

•     Space Warfare (AFRL/RJ): broad coverage across Air, Space, Cyber/EW, Cross-Domain, and Basic Research

•     Digital Capabilities (AFRL/IZ): narrower, concentrated in select Cyber/EW and Cross-Domain digital topics

•     711th Human Performance Wing (711HPW): Air Domain human performance and medicine topics, plus human-machine teaming and physiological operations

•     Technology Transition (AFRL/RR) and Systems Technology Office (AFRL/STO): not mapped to specific Areas of Interest in the alignment table; these function as cross-cutting/transition support rather than topic owners

Because a single Area of Interest can map to multiple directorates, and because the specific Spiral, not the Enterprise CSO, determines which directorate actually evaluates your submission, confirming the right directorate fit before drafting is worth doing early. This is exactly the kind of fit assessment BW&CO does at kickoff.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify award amounts — funding is set at the individual Spiral level and depends on availability. Awards may be structured as FAR Part 12 fixed-price contracts or as Other Transactions for Prototype (OTP) under 10 U.S.C. § 4022, including follow-on production agreements. Based on comparable DoD CSO/OTP mechanisms, awards have ranged from roughly $100,000 for early feasibility or component-level efforts up to $10 million or more for larger prototype and production-representative demonstrations. The Government may incrementally fund any award and reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of a proposal, including funding only part of a submission it deems Selectable.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding supports "innovative" solutions as legally defined: technology, processes, or methods (or new applications of existing ones) that are new as of your proposal's submission date. This spans advanced component development through full operational systems development, and can include prototype projects under OTP authority. A narrower category, Studies and Analysis funded with Operations and Maintenance appropriations, covers short-term (generally one year or less), non-developmental investigative work addressing urgent, near-term Air Force and Space Force needs.

What is the actual timeline to apply?

There is no single application deadline. You apply by responding to an individual Spiral, and each Spiral sets its own timeline. Open Spirals accept submissions on a rolling basis; Closed Spirals set a hard deadline, after which late submissions are handled under FAR 52.212-1(c) and generally not considered for award. The Enterprise CSO itself remains active indefinitely, refreshed annually until terminated, with new Spirals issued at any time. As of mid-2026, an active Centralized, Open Two-Step Spiral (FA8652-26-S-C005) covering the Foundational Technologies mission organization is open through April 30, 2027 — verify current status and scope on SAM.gov.

Who is eligible to apply?

U.S. commercial companies, small businesses, nontraditional defense contractors, and nonprofit research institutions registered in SAM.gov and determined "responsible" under FAR Subpart 9.1 are eligible. For awards structured as OTPs specifically, at least one of the following must also be true: a nontraditional defense contractor or nonprofit research institution participates significantly; all significant non-government participants are small businesses or nontraditional defense contractors; at least one-third of total project cost comes from non-federal sources; or the agency's Senior Procurement Executive documents exceptional circumstances justifying the transaction.

Who is NOT eligible to apply?

Foreign persons and foreign-owned, controlled, or influenced (FOCI) entities are prohibited from participating in awards under this announcement — full stop, with no stated exception. This is a meaningfully harder line than many other DoD CSOs, including some Army CSOs, which permit foreign-owned businesses to compete subject to review and approval. Companies should also expect exclusion if suspended or debarred from federal contracting, prohibited by law from receiving federal awards, or unable to meet required security clearances for a given effort.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Companies with technology that's genuinely new as of the proposal date, not incremental refinement of an existing government-known capability, and that map cleanly to a specific, currently-open Spiral's Areas of Interest are best positioned. CSB submissions are weighed equally on Technical Merit/Applicability and Funding Availability; CSP submissions add Importance to Agency Programs and Price to that mix, still weighted equally. Because the Government can categorize a submission "Selectable" yet unfundable, technical merit alone doesn't guarantee an award — timing against available budget matters just as much.

How competitive will this be?

The solicitation doesn't disclose award volume or success rates, and competitiveness will vary enormously by Spiral and Area of Interest. With roughly 94 Areas of Interest spanning basic research through operational systems, and eight separate mission organizations issuing their own Spirals independently, this functions less like a single competition and more like dozens of parallel, narrower competitions, each with its own funding pool and evaluation timeline.

What restrictions should I know about?

Key constraints beyond eligibility: submissions containing Controlled Unclassified Information must go through DoD SAFE, not standard email; awards involving military-critical technical data may require a certified DD Form 2345 and Defense Logistics Agency registration under ITAR/EAR; awarded efforts are subject to NIST SP 800-171 safeguarding requirements for Covered Defense Information; and non-government advisors (FFRDCs, SETA, and A&AS contractors) under signed NDAs may review your proposal on the Government's behalf.

How long will it take to prepare an application?

Preparation time isn't specified and depends on the Spiral, but the barrier to entry is intentionally low for Step 1. A Two-Step CSB is a PowerPoint briefing plus a white paper (or a Pitch, if the Spiral requires one), not a full proposal. Only companies invited to Step 2, or those responding to a One-Step Spiral, need to prepare a complete Commercial Solutions Proposal with a technical volume, price volume, and Statement of Work.

How BW&CO Can Help

The AFRL Enterprise CSO's structure — an indefinite umbrella document with dozens of independently-issued Spirals across eight mission organizations — makes "which opportunity should I actually respond to" a harder question than it looks. BW&CO helps companies:

•     Fit assessment — Identify which currently-open Spiral, and which of the roughly 94 Areas of Interest, fits your technology

•     Mechanism strategy — Determine whether your submission is better positioned as a FAR Part 12 contract or an OTP, and confirm OTP eligibility criteria are met

•     Proposal development — Draft compelling Commercial Solutions Briefs and Proposals within the required page and slide limits

•     Compliance — Navigate NIST SP 800-171, export control, and Science and Technology Protection review requirements before they become a late-stage surprise

•     Monitoring — Track SAM.gov for new and amended Spirals aligned to your capabilities

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here: SAM.gov — FA8652-26-S-C003

United States Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) is an ongoing solicitation designed to help the Army rapidly identify and acquire innovative commercial technologies that support the modernization of military ground vehicle capabilities. Unlike a traditional grant or procurement with a single application deadline, this CSO contains multiple Areas of Interest (AoIs) covering a wide range of technologies including robotics, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, power systems, vehicle survivability, software engineering, modeling and simulation, and next-generation vehicle electronics.

Most Areas of Interest accept solution briefs on a rolling basis while the CSO remains open. However, individual AoIs may establish their own submission deadlines, which take precedence over the general solicitation timeline. Companies should carefully review the specific AoI before preparing a submission.

Unlike many Department of Defense opportunities that seek early-stage research, this CSO emphasizes innovative commercial technologies that can be demonstrated, adapted, integrated, or rapidly transitioned into Army applications through commercial contracts, Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), Cooperative Agreements, or other acquisition mechanisms. Awards may support commercially available products, prototype demonstrations, pilot programs, technology maturation, and other activities that improve Army ground vehicle capabilities.

Companies may submit solution briefs for any open Area of Interest. The Government may evaluate submissions through a multi-phase process consisting of a written Solution Brief, an optional presentation or demonstration, and an invitation to submit a Commercial Solution Proposal (CSP). The Government also reserves the right to skip phases or move directly to a proposal request when appropriate.

Because new Areas of Interest may be added throughout the life of the solicitation and existing topics may be amended, companies with dual-use technologies should periodically monitor the CSO for new opportunities that align with their capabilities.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify award amounts, funding ranges, or the number of anticipated awards. Most awards coming from these CSOs range from the $500,000 to $5 million range.

Award values will depend on the individual Area of Interest, available funding, and the proposed commercial solution. The Government states that Requests for Commercial Solution Proposals (CSPs) are subject to the availability of funds, and that no specific dollars have been reserved for awards under the CSO.

Areas of Interest:

The following technology areas are currently included within the DEVCOM GVSC Commercial Solutions Opening. Unless otherwise stated within an individual Area of Interest, solution briefs may be submitted while the CSO remains open. Certain topics include separate submission deadlines, which take precedence over the general solicitation timeline.

GROUND VEHICLE ADVANCED POWER SYSTEMS:

This effort focuses on advancing electrical power systems up to 1.5MW of power for use on Military ground vehicles. The goal of this campaign is to meet the Army’s increasing electrical power needs while improving vehicle efficiency and the power density of power electronics. This will be made possible by exploiting the gains made in emerging power electronic designs and the use of cutting-edge electrical components. These advances will significantly impact future Army vehicle design and will enable the Army to have a decisive overmatch to near peer adversaries.

a. Power System Architecture up to 1.5MW: The objective of power system architecture topic develop architectures that are suitable for delivery of up to 1.5MW of power to vehicle systems and mission payloads. These architectures need to account for hybrid electric or all electric powertrains, high energy loads like cooling system, energy weapons, power export, and legacy 28Vdc/600Vdc power systems. There are three (3) key areas of investigation for this effort: 1) what safety features are needed to make the architecture a viable product; 2) is a voltage greater than 600Vdc needed; and 3) are electric components available at these voltage/power levels.

b. Advance Power Electronic Design: This topic focuses on taking advantage of cutting-edge power electronic design to significantly increase power density and power efficiency which will result in smaller devices that require less cooling and are easier to package. This topic includes, but is not limited to, advanced designs such as wideband gap semiconductors, soft switch, zero-volt switching, zero-current switch, modular multi-level converter, active filtering, and all other techniques to meet the focus of increased power density and power efficiency.

c. Artificial Intelligence or Machine Learning (AI/ML) in Power Management Systems: This topic focuses on advancement in power management systems for ground vehicles as power management will enable more efficient vehicles. This topic incorporates advancements in AI/ML algorithms and knowledge base to adapt to how the vehicle is being used and learn the most efficient way to operate the vehicle. This topic also has two (2) key enablers in advancing AI/ML power system development: 1) power system modeling; and 2) hardware in-the loop software development.

d. Wireless Power Transfer: This topic focuses on wireless power transfer up to 1MW of power as there are two (2) target areas for wireless power transfer on Army ground vehicles. The first focus area is a safe, reliable way to recharge the vehicles through wireless recharge stations. The second focus area is wireless power transfer to transfer power between a hull and turret, bypassing the slipring.

e. Power System Physical Interfaces: Often when developing advance power electronics, the height and width of the design is dictated by the physical interface components, such as connectors, coolant fitting, and cabling. This topic focuses on the necessary advancement of interface components to reduce the physical size of the design. Also, these physical interface components often have very long lead times which can be problematic for procurement and integration, so advanced manufacturing approaches to reduce component lead time will also be explored under this topic.

f. Ground Vehicle MIL-Rugged Computing Architectures for Artificial Intelligence Applications: The US Army is interested in ruggedized computing architectures designed for running AI applications on military ground vehicles. In order to be considered rugged, the computers would need to meet ATPD-2404 requirements such as operating through pressure washing, submergence in 1 meter of water, gun shock, and operating in a 71C environment with little to no airflow. AI applications for mobility, autonomy, or target recognition largely depend on GPU or GPU-like processing ability with quick access to large amounts of memory. Utilizing MIL-STD-1275F or MIL-STD-3072 electrical power input, what products are available or could be developed to provide the most processing capability in a Standardized A-Kit Vehicle Envelope (SAVE) space claim or smaller and still meet the required environmental conditions?

g. Advanced Power Production and Storage: The US Army is interested in advanced power production and storage technologies, including novel batteries and fuel cells. Objectives include those that provide improved durability, reduced costs, and increased energy density, making them an attractive option for military vehicle applications. These technologies also include the ancillary enabling technologies, such as production of hydrogen for hydrogen fuel cells. These may come from industries such as automotive, aerospace, and energy.

h. Prototype Vehicle Experimentation Technical Support. The US Army is seeking technical support for high voltage vehicles during soldier touchpoint and demonstration events. Objectives include CONUS and OCONUS field repair and component replacement for the high voltage vehicles and are required to include the following: provide safety and driver training to select Government and military personnel; provide onsite technical/repair support (as needed) during vehicle events; order and field receipt of repair parts and supplies; diagnose, develop and execute plans for field maintenance and repair; arrange vehicle transportation to and from experimentation sites or for major repairs or regular maintenance; conduct major repairs and regular maintenance (as required); provide reach back technical and engineering support (as required). Working knowledge of the specific vehicle is required.

GROUND VEHICLE ROBOTICS (GVR):

The GVR mission is to develop, experiment, demonstrate, test and transition autonomy enabled ground system capabilities and technologies to meet and shape Army requirements.

The U.S. Army DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) seeks innovative commercial solutions that advance Autonomous Multidomain Robotic Systems. As the Army accelerates modernization toward multi-domain operations (MDO), the integration of heterogeneous robotic and autonomous systems (RAS) operating cohesively across ground, air, and sea domains represents a critical capability gap and strategic priority. GVSC, in support of CPE Mission Autonomy's future efforts, is interested in technologies and approaches that enable unmanned systems to function as a unified, intelligent combat team to execute complex missions with minimal human intervention while preserving human decision authority where necessary.

a. Agile Development of Logistics Material and Technical Services. To rapidly demonstrate and test GVR vehicle autonomy system innovative commercially available solutions for logistics material development that leverage existing autonomy systems, documentation, software and displays. Reducing cost and delivery time is required across the full spectrum of logistics material development. Application of Agile Development Process for maintenance, operation, supply, training materials and services is desired. Leveraging innovative commercial technologies, capabilities, processes, and techniques along with demonstrating the benefits of continuous integration and delivery during the development of operator and maintainer training, technical manuals, publications, and field support is desired. Additionally, the Government seeks alternative methods of delivering the materials to the soldier and collecting feedback and validating the new methods as well as supporting the transition of the new processes to programs of record is desired.

b. Cybersecurity. Commercial software and hardware to address cyber threats, which are a threat in the battlespace. Of particular interest is commercial software that enables the Army and its ground vehicle fleet to adapt to this environment with advancing cybersecurity technologies to become resilient to such threats. This includes applications of AI and quantum decryption as part of cyber security.

c. C-UAS. Commercial technology to counter the threat of drone-based attacks on ground vehicles and their sustainment and command and control support systems. Counter UAS capabilities of particular interest include one or more of the following technologies:

1) Sensing, such as radar, lidar, acoustic detectors, and optical sensors, which can detect, identify, classify, and track drones in real-time.

2) Hostable Portable software suitable for Fire Control, Blue Force deconfliction, Threat Point Of Origin (POO) and Track Triangulation, Sensor Fusion, Protection Projection, threat intent classification, payload identification, and weapon system handoff ( on and off platform), crew notification and interaction

3) Effectors to include but not limited to Kinetic Hard Kill (to include purely kinetic, fragmentation, and blast warheads), Electronic Warfare, Directed Energy, High Power Microwave, Electro Magnetic Pulse, Laser Dazzlers, and permanent sensor induced damage / degradation.

4) The ability to host complimentary capabilities within the Modular APS Controller (MAC) level and Modular APS Framework (MAF).

Seeking whitepapers that clearly identify a near term pathway to capabilities that can be demonstrated via experimental soldier touchpoints within 6-12 months and subsequent expedited fielding via PdM VPS or equivalent.

e. Textile Based Camouflage System. Commercial textile-based technology that will reduce the probability of a vehicle being detected by sensors and detectors whether the vehicle is stationary or on the move. Of particular interest are commercial solutions that allow adequate air flow to prevent damage to the textile-based technology, and that do not impede driver vision.

f. Thermal and HD Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) Camera. Commercial technology that provides day / night, real-time surveillance, 24/7 observation through degraded environments that allows for response to threats. Of particular interest is commercial solutions that allow for 360 degree visibility and allow for rapid integration onto multiple platforms.

g. Multi-Payload Launcher. This topic focuses on a system that can rapidly deploy multiple drones/payloads, either simultaneously or in quick succession, with each drone/payload potentially equipped to perform a distinct task. This creates a coordinated, multi-faceted capability that can be managed by a single operator or an autonomous control system.

The key to the system's versatility lies in its ability to launch a variety of drones/payloads, each tailored for a specific function. This "flexible loadout" can include:

1. Loitering Munitions: Designed for precision strikes against targets, with some variants capable of defeating armored vehicles.

2. Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR): Designed to provide real-time video, intelligence, and situational awareness for ground troops.

3. Electronic Warfare (EW): Designed to jam enemy communications or spoof their navigation systems.

4. Counter-Drone Systems: Designed to intercept and neutralize hostile drones.

h. Autonomous Commercial Vehicle (ACV). This topic focuses on the ACV capability which is a transformational unmanned ground platform designed to redefine maneuver warfare. Equipped with Modular Mission Payloads (MMPs), it provides Army units flexible options for reconnaissance, security, direct action, fires support, logistics, and deception. Leveraging mass-produced vehicle technologies, the ACV reduces cost, maintenance, and complexity while delivering lethal and non-lethal effects at the commander’s discretion.

Built for fast, distributed operating environments, the ACV enhances survivability and lethality through scalable production and vendor supply chains. It expands battlefield geometry, enabling commanders to shape engagements by employing Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS) for time, space, and cross-domain maneuver advantage. At the point of need, it delivers advanced battlefield capabilities.

i. Aided Detection Target Recognition (AiDTR) System. This topic focuses on a sophisticated Artificial Intelligence (AI) that employs machine learning to autonomously identify and categorize threats from sensor data, such as enemy combatants or vehicles. The primary goal of AiDTR is to reduce the cognitive burden on soldiers while increasing probability of threat detection and lowering false alarm rates, enabling faster threat identification and superior situational awareness. It is engineered for seamless integration with vehicles and advanced sensor systems.

j. Modular Obscuration System. This topic focus is seeking a mature, production-ready technology for a modular obscuration system. The desired system will provide a non-lethal effect to degrade enemy reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) capabilities and defeat visually and infrared-guided weapon systems. The primary objective is to hamper battlespace visibility, thereby increasing warfighter and platform survivability. Desired specifications include:

1. Obscure wavelengths from the visual through the near-infrared (NIR) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

2. Generation of a visually impermeable screening effect in less than two minutes.

3. The obscuration effect should be sustained for more than 12 minutes from a single dissemination.

4. Man-portable and capable of being operated by a single soldier.

5. Support both dismounted and mounted operations.

6. Offers flexible control options: remotely via a wireless signal or directly through a wired connection.

k. Mission Autonomy Common Control Architecture Strategies, Prototypes & Solutions. Program Manager Robotic Command and Integration (PM RCI) seeks innovative commercial solutions and professional services to provide rapid, on demand technical expertise that accelerates Mission Autonomy (MA) development through advanced architecture maturation, mission engineering, modeling and simulation, cybersecurity analysis, and rapid acquisition and technical prototyping. Desired specialties also include multidisciplinary engineering and human factor analysis of MA systems and operations. Required capabilities include evolving the Mission Autonomy Common Control Architecture (MACCA); producing mission level modeling and architectural artifacts; conducting multidisciplinary engineering analysis; evaluation and verification (virtual and physical); system prototyping and integration; and delivering autonomy focused cybersecurity products such as threat models, attack surface assessments, survivability requirements, and adversarial testing strategies. PM RCI also requires commercial partners capable of shaping and executing sound acquisition strategies that shorten procurement timelines, drive faster prototype delivery, and apply innovative contracting methods aligned with DoW’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy to promote rapid, iterative development. Solutions should enable rapid task activation, scalable team deployment, and streamlined deliverables, while integrating commercial best practices that accelerate fielding and expand PM RCI’s ability to assess, secure, and integrate autonomous system technologies. This includes command and control, autonomy architecture, and tactical networking capabilities essential for synchronized air and ground robotic operations across Army missions.

l. Unified Command and Common Control (UC3) for Multi-Entity Mission Autonomy (MEMA) for Robotic Operations. The U.S. Army’s Capability Program Executive for Mission Autonomy (CPE MA), through PM RCI, seeks innovative solutions that advance architectures and technologies for Multi Entity Mission Autonomy (MEMA). The goal is to accelerate integration of autonomous capabilities across ground, air, maritime/surface, subsurface systems, payloads, and sensors. PM RCI requires scalable, modular hardware and software to support a Unified Command and Common Control (UC3) framework enabling and integrating coordinated operations among diverse autonomous systems. Solutions must provide safety assured control for crewed and uncrewed platforms operating in remote, supervised, or fully autonomous modes. Capabilities should reduce operator burden, enable one to many control, and adapt to varying supervision levels through independently verifiable, safety critical autonomy. Solutions should also address current UxS limitations, such as high operator to platform ratios, fragmented interfaces, stovepiped data, and challenges in Denied, Degraded, Intermittent, and Limited (DDIL) environments. PM RCI seeks prototype or mature product demonstrations of robust, interoperable UC3 frameworks using a Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA). Desired elements include a mission level C2 Orchestrator and platform level Mission Autonomy Agents that enhance distributed processing, resilience in contested environments, and seamless data orchestration across tactical networks. Solutions should support development of Mission Autonomy Common Control Architecture (MACCA) to ensure interoperability across Army, Joint, and allied autonomous systems.

m. Unified Combat Teaming. GVSC is seeking the connective architecture, control, and integration capability that turns a diverse, multi-vendor mix of unmanned ground, air, and sea systems into a single, scalable, controllable combat team, not a proprietary autonomy stack or isolated platform. We invite architecture-led and tooling-led innovators to address one or more of six interlocking Technical Workstreams (TW#) and/or Enabling Workstream (EW#) areas: open, severable modular architectures that let one vendor's system be cleanly swapped for another's [EW1]; common control and data standards (e.g., JAUS, DDS, TAK, STANAG) proven by dissimilar systems sharing one operational picture in Electronic Warfare/GPS-contested conditions [EW2]; onboarding tooling and SDKs that make third-party integration repeatable, not bespoke [EW3]; dynamic, decentralized task allocation and mission planning that lets one Soldier direct a multi-vendor formation as one team [TW1]; human-machine teaming that grows the agents one Soldier commands without growing the workload [TW2]; and the experimentation and evaluation harness to measure, replay, and compare teaming across simulation and hardware [TW3].

We value capability that is demonstrated, not asserted, works with platforms you did not build, carries a clear MOSA underpinning, and proves itself through physical experimentation, with a credible simulation path to scale preferred over a large fleet. We invite you to propose your open, interoperable technology that can show real results on a few systems today and a defensible path to large multi-vendor formations tomorrow, evaluable in a Hardware In the Loop or live settings within 6 to 12 months of award, whether addressing a single area or spanning several.

Please see attachment, “Area of Interest - Unified Combat Teaming” for all additional information regarding this AoI.

Solution briefs may address one or more of the six workstreams described in the attachment. Multi-workstream and integrated system proposals spanning the full Unified Combat Teaming capability are strongly encouraged.

While this Area of Interest will remain open, the Army will make initial award(s) based on White Papers submitted by 01 August 2026.

FORCE PROJECTION TECHNOLOGY (FPT):

The FPT provides mission lifecycle engineering for Army Combat Support and Combat Service Support equipment for gap crossing, petroleum & water systems, combat engineering, material handling, and fluid and petroleum quality surveillance. Its laboratories facilitate research, development, and engineering services to support fuels, fluids, water, wastewater and military bridging systems to keep the US Army in motion anytime, anywhere.

a. Demand Reduction

i. Alternative Sources of Water / Atmospheric Water Extraction (AWE). The Army has gaps in the ability to supply potable water to distributed, semi-independent units conducting multi-domain operations in a contested logistics environment. Currently, Large Tactical Water Purification Units that must be stationary during operation are used to produce bulk drinking water, which is then stored, bottled, and distributed tethering units to long lines of resupply.

b. Predictive Logistics and Maintenance. GVSC is interested in commercial software and integrated hardware solutions that provide the Army, and joint and multinational partners where possible, with improved sustainment posture through improved precision and accuracy in sustainment operations, such as maintenance and equipment status, and tracking of classes of supply, such as major end items, fuel, water, and spare parts. Specific interests in this area follow.

i. Logistics Tracking and Planning. GVSC is pursuing improved tracking of classes of supply, to include through multinational partners and channels. The purpose is to provide improved status reports to facilitate rapid, accurate decision making. Ideal solutions will provide not only Army visibility, but compatibility or integration into joint and multinational partners. While envisioned as software, integrated software-hardware solutions will be considered. Training, modelling, and simulation software to facilitate improved understanding, tracking, and decision making may be applicable here as well. In general, ideal proposals will include or culminate in successful demonstrations and pilot implementations that show paths to transition.

ii. Smart Fuel Metering and Management. Provide near real-time understanding of fuel status, fuel (supply) availability/quantity, location, and supply actions. The objective is to extend the operational reach and readiness of the Warfighter by providing fuel awareness and fuel management decision support for commanders in Multi Domain Operations throughout the range of military operations.

Commercial sensors, software, or integrated hardware-software solutions to support this project will support the ability to collect fuel measurement data from collapsible bags at fuel points during field experiments with the Army and United States Marine Corps (USMC) operations. Additionally, commercial solutions to assist in the development of a fuel management system to enable commodity managers to track and account for material as it is received, stored, transported, issued, and consumed delivering end-to-end visibility shared across the enterprise. Selection will be made on the basis of enabling the warfighter to improve decisions, manage multiple fuel sources, reduce demand, balance loads, and improve efficiencies within contingency bases, optimizing fuel management in expeditionary environments.

c. Advanced Manufacturing. New and novel technologies in the realm of advanced manufacturing technologies to include innovative technologies and processes to produce high-quality products with increased efficiency and reduced waste. This includes the integration of digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and the Internet of Things (IoT), to create smart factories that can adapt to changing production demands for supply of parts and services of interest to GVSC.

d. Autonomous Resupply. GVSC is interested in technologies that allow the Army to enhance multi domain distribution, extend reach, and increase the volume of supplies to dispersed formations through advanced platforms.

e. Advanced Power and Energy Solutions. GVSC is interested in technologies that allow the Army to field alternative energy solutions through advanced solutions such as fuel cells, advanced batteries, microgrids.

f. Bridging and Gap Defeat. Develop, test, experiment with, or demonstrate new innovative technology or mature existing technologies to defeat manmade or natural gaps found on the battlefield. Areas of interest include materiel solutions focused towards either wet or dry gaps and over a variety of defeat lengths, as well as the addition of AI/ML capabilities to new or existing materiel for both assault as well as logistical support missions. Efforts in this area support assured mobility in assault operations and the efficient execution of logistics in disbursed contested environments.

g. Fuel Handling Equipment. The Army is interested in advanced tactical fuel handling equipment. Areas of interest include but are not limited to fuel storage, distribution, filtration, and monitoring technologies and hardware. These efforts will increase fuel distribution capacity and tempo to extend operational reach, enable dispersion, and increase lethality as required for Joint All Domain Operations.

GROUND VEHICLE MATERIALS ENGINEERING (GVME)

The GVME mission is to provide materials technologies and engineering support to ground systems from cradle to grave to enhance warfighter readiness. GVME supports a diverse materials mission to include corrosion, coatings, joining, additive

manufacturing, and material and manufacturing applications, all supported by a characterization and failure analysis branch with in-house testing capabilities.

a. Ceramic Material Technologies. Ceramic materials for application in military parts to take advantage of properties such as exceptional hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance and applicability for high temperature environments. Areas of particular interest include applications for lightweighting, non- conductive, and non-magnetic applications.

b. Composites. Applications for composite materials that offer enhanced strength-to-weight ratios, improved corrosion resistance and increased durability compared to traditional materials. Of particular

interest are applications for composite rubbers for tracks and wheeled vehicle systems and applications of advanced composites for protective systems.

c. Composite and Transparent Armor. Commercial armor and advanced armor technologies to include transparent armor, reactive armors, and advanced material solutions for enhanced survivability for vehicles, payloads, and personnel.

d. Coatings. Coatings provide means of enhancing the properties of existing materials and components beyond what they are typically capable of. Advanced coating technologies, such as nanocoatings and thin- film coatings, offer improved properties, such as self-cleaning, antimicrobial, and anti-reflective characteristics. Coatings are also used to reduce friction, improve fuel efficiency, and minimize waste. Overall, coating technologies play a critical role in enhancing the performance, reliability, and lifespan of materials and components, while also reducing maintenance and operational costs.

e. Castings and Forging. GVSC is interested in advanced technologies which can support low volume, flexible, and responsive production of castings and forgings. This includes additive technologies, which enable substitution of the additive manufactured parts; incremental forming technologies; enabling technologies for rapid production of molds and dies; and computational tools to accelerate design and qualification of large castings and forgings with location-specific property prediction.

f. Tooling. GVSC is interested in advanced technologies which can support low volume, flexible, and responsive production of tooling. This includes technologies for rapid production of low volume tooling for composites, plastics, and other techniques suitable for low to medium volume production.

GROUND VEHICLE SURVIVABILITY AND PROTECTION:

Focuses on advancing vehicle and crew survivability for tracked and wheeled tactical and combat ground vehicles. The goal is to meet the Army’s increasing goal for higher mobility while maintaining or improving the survivability of the combat fleet. This will be made possible by exploiting increased computer power and implementation of AI in emerging active protection systems as well as innovative passive material solutions.

a. Next-Generation Vehicle Protection Systems Base Kit. Seeking innovative partners to deliver a critical technology for our next-generation vehicle protection strategy: the Vehicle Protection Systems Base Kit (VBK). This is a unique opportunity to contribute to a revolutionary, Modular Open Systems Architecture (MOSA)-based Active Protection System (APS) framework designed to dramatically enhance soldier survivability and reduce lifecycle costs.

The VBK: A Foundation for Adaptable Protection

The VBK program is focused on creating a flexible, scalable, and rapidly adaptable APS framework – instantiated by the VBK Controller – that can be seamlessly integrated with a wide range of APS subsystems across diverse missions and platforms. We are partnering with industry leaders to build the core components of this framework, including the Modular Active Controller (MAC), Safety Control Interface Panel (SCIP)/User Interface Control Panel (UICP) and the optional Power Management Distribution System (PMDS).

Seeking a partner to build and deliver production-intent VBK prototypes based on Government-provided Technical Data Packages (TDPs).

The MAC, the main component of the VBK control system, is a high-performance 3U VPX chassis featuring:

• SOSA-Compliant Architecture: Ensuring interoperability and future-proofing.

• Powerful Compute Capabilities: Supporting advanced algorithms with multiple compute-intensive payload slots (3-5) and options for Intel Xeon or NVIDIA Jetson AGX (Orin or Thor) based processing.

• Versatile I/O Connectivity: A cutting-edge FPGA I/O card enabling high-speed data transfer via 1/10 Gigabit TSN Ethernet, RS-422, CAN, SDI, DisplayPort, HDMI, and a comprehensive range of discrete signals.

Deliverables & Impact:

Seeking delivery of fully functional, production-ready VBK prototypes, including individual Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) based on the Government-provided Technical Data Packages (TDPs) for the MAC, SCIP, UICIP and PMDS plus all necessary support components (cables, breakout connectors, special tools, mounting hardware).

By responding to this area of interest, you will:

• Shape the Future: Contribute to a groundbreaking system that will enable vehicle protection for years to come.

• Leverage Government Investment: Utilize provided TDPs to accelerate development and reduce risk.

• Become a Key Partner: Establish a strong relationship with the GVSC and the U.S. Army.

We invite qualified organizations with expertise in hardware development, firmware integration, and MOSA principles to submit proposals for delivery of 10 VBK prototypes, with a follow-on option to deliver additional kits.

See attachment 0001 and 0002

Suspense date for submittal under this AOI is 01/30/2026.

b. Signature Management Technologies. Seeking innovative commercial solutions to mitigate ground vehicle and marine vehicle signatures. The signatures being requested include thermal, acoustic, and radio frequency, but others will also be considered. The technologies may be applique or coatings.

SOFTWARE ENGINEERING CENTER (SEC):

SEC provides full software lifecycle management; to engineer, develop, integrate and field precise software solutions; to improve Current Force effectiveness; and to provide superior software capabilities for the Future Force.

a. Government-Off-the-Shelf (GOTS) Common Operating System. The Army seeks innovative support to advance its Government-Off-the-Shelf (GOTS) Operating System (OS) for ground vehicle platforms. This initiative aims to establish a common, government-owned software foundation to reduce costs associated with commercial licensing, maintenance, and complex systems integration. Leveraging a standardized GOTS OS promotes software reuse, enhances cybersecurity through a common security posture, and ensures long-term scalability and maintainability across the fleet. The goal is to accelerate fielding schedules and reduce duplicative engineering efforts by providing a pre-accredited, adaptable operating system architecture for all vehicle programs.

Closing date for submittal under this AoI is 05/15/2026.

b. Embedded Software Maintenance. SEC is focused on providing software maintenance and sustainment for multiple vehicle platforms including Bradley Fighting Vehicles. This includes specific software development, integration, testing, validation, and fielding. The goal is to understand and innovate software solutions to integrate emerging technology and capabilities as it relates to obsolescence issues with legacy vehicle systems and equipment.

• Focus will be on tactical code development with military approved software (VXWorks, GHS, AdaCore) and communication systems (MIL-STD-1553, RS232/RS422/RS485)

• Automated and hybrid testing methodologies include simulation conception, testing development linking requirements traceability, and lab hardware/vehicle platform test management.

• Innovative hardware solutions to support design and building testing platforms, experimental/prototype vehicle integration efforts, and support priority equipment needs for software testing and validation.

g. Software & Hardware Integration and Fielding Support for Ground Vehicle Platforms - Data Integration for Ground Systems (DIGS) & Digital Logbook (DLB). The Army seeks innovative support to advance the integration and sustainment of the DIGS Kit and DLB for ground vehicle platforms. This initiative aims to automate manual processes, enhance equipment readiness visibility, and improve sustainment operations by digitizing maintenance tasks, streamlining Preventative Maintenance Checks and Services (PMCS), and error-proofing parts ordering. DIGS leverages vehicle sensors to capture usage and fault data, enabling the generation of accurate 5988-E forms and supporting commanders in making informed decisions.

The DLB, installed on the Operator Support Device (OSD), ensures vehicle configuration management, provides access to specific technical manuals based on vehicle configurations, restricts NSN ordering errors, and maintains updated Interactive Electronic Technical Manuals (IETMs) via network architecture. DLB facilitates guided PMCS steps, fault recording, and requisition validation, seamlessly integrating with the Global Combat Support System - Army (GCSS-A) for fault and requisition communication. Additionally, DLB supports disconnected operations through QR code generation and network printing capabilities.

The SEC is focused on providing full software lifecycle management, including development, integration, testing, validation, and fielding of DIGS kits and DLB software. The goal is to innovate software solutions that integrate emerging technologies and address obsolescence issues in legacy vehicle systems and equipment, ensuring operational efficiency and readiness across multiple vehicle platforms.

h. Diagnostic Software (DS) for Vehicle Maintenance. The Army seeks innovative support to advance DS Viper, the latest generation of Army standard diagnostic software. DS Viper is designed to maintain Army Ground Combat Systems, Tactical Wheeled Vehicles, and Watercraft, providing a unified diagnostic solution to enhance maintenance operations across diverse platforms. DS Viper delivers decoupled diagnostics to support the Army’s transition to a single viewer, the Interactive Authoring and Display Software (IADS). As part of the Project Director Test, Measurement, and Diagnostic Equipment (PD TMDE) Maintenance Support Device (MSD) system image, DS Viper ensures seamless integration, cybersecurity compliance, and eliminates licensing fees. The software simplifies training requirements by offering a standardized look and feel across platforms, reducing complexity and improving operational efficiency.

The SEC is focused on providing full software lifecycle management, including development, software sustainment/maintenance, integration, testing, and validation of the DS Viper software. The goal is to innovate software solutions that integrate emerging technologies and address obsolescence issues in legacy vehicle systems and equipment, ensuring operational efficiency and readiness across multiple vehicle platforms. This government-owned diagnostic solution underscores the Army’s commitment to delivering a cost-effective, scalable, and secure tool that enhances vehicle maintenance operations and supports readiness across the fleet.

i. Software Configuration Management (SCM). The SCM team is soliciting a user-friendly tool that can integrate with Source Management and code tools (Atlassian or GitLab) to track and manage final deliverables for all the projects we support. It needs to be able to establish what we expect to receive for each Release per Project and track if it was received, dates, from who, etc. with a hierarchy of deliverables and sub-components maintained. Store location information for both physical and electronic versions. Additionally, it needs to track physical and electronic receipt of information from external sources, who, what, where and their storage locations.

j. CI/CD Pipelines. The SEC is seeking an industry partner with GovCloud development experience to test and validate capabilities between our on-premise infrastructure and AWS cloud environment. Must have demonstrated experience in automation, responsible for developing Infrastructure as Code (IaC), with tools like Terraform or CloudFormation, and building CI/CD pipelines to ensure seamless building and integration of software source code and automated test. A strong background in AWS services, scripting (Python/Bash), and hybrid cloud security along with experience in the Army RMF process.

k. Artificial Intelligence in Software Engineering and Development. This topic focuses on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies to assist software engineering professionals throughout the software development lifecycle—including requirements, architecture, design, implementation, and testing—to improve software quality and accelerate development.

Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

- Code generation models trained specifically for embedded, military, or safety-critical software development environments.

-AI-assisted expansion of unit testing in legacy code bases, including automated test generation and identification of gaps in test coverage.

-AI-assisted modernization of legacy software systems, including migration from legacy or military-centric programming languages to modern or general-purpose programming languages.

-AI-assisted acceleration of model-based software engineering, including generation of Unified Modeling Language (UML)/Systems Modeling Language (SysML) models from legacy documentation and/or source code.

- AI-assisted analysis of software engineering artifacts, including gap analysis and evaluation of design documentation and UML/SysML models.

-AI-assisted comprehension of legacy code bases, including extraction of architecture, interfaces, and system behavior from existing source code.

-AI-assisted refactoring and restructuring of software systems to improve maintainability, modularity, and performance.

-AI-assisted generation and maintenance of software documentation, including design descriptions, interface documentation, and developer guidance.

-AI-assisted traceability analysis across requirements, models, source code, and test artifacts.

-AI-assisted detection of software defects, vulnerabilities, and violations of safety or security coding standards.

-AI-powered developer assistants integrated into software development environments to support code generation, debugging, and refactoring.

l. Simulated/Emulated Hardware Targets for Automated Testing and Digital Twins. Provide subject matter expertise on the development of simulated/emulated hardware targets for embedded systems that can be used for automated testing and digital twin applications. The intent is to gain visibility on the state-of-the-art tools and practices for abstracting from hardware, understand in what situations to use specific tools, and potentially develop a reference architecture (e.g., a sample robot or vehicle) that can be used to assess capabilities and grow competency on how to build integrated pipelines and automation.

m. Multi-Tenant Cloud Solutions for Embedded Software Development. Provide subject matter expert support to bring industry best practices into the architectural design, implementation, and maintenance of a multi-tenant based cloud solution for hosting software development and test projects, with a primary focus on embedded software. This effort seeks experts to assist the government team in deploying concepts within government-owned cloud environments (e.g., SPDS, GDEV-C). The solution should provide projects with scalable, isolated cloud resources by default and include the ability for the defense industrial base to use the environment. A key focus is on automation, the adoption of AI (including pipeline development), and DevSecOps practices in alignment with DoW modernization goals. Subject matter experts will work with the government team and could form the basis of a persistent operations team or, at a minimum, inform the government on how best to organize such a team and identify the skills/resources needed to support the effort operationally.

n. Adoption and Use of Containerization in Embedded Systems. Provide subject matter expert support to bring industry best practices into the adoption and use of containerization within software development and test activities, including those with an embedded system focus. This effort seeks to leverage expert knowledge to address current gaps in security and utilization, and to discover more effective ways to use containerization to its fullest potential. A specific focus is desired on the hardening of containers and the enabling infrastructure, along with general supply chain management considerations. This includes various levels of usage for containers, from deploying enterprise solutions versus VMs, looking at how to do builds/tests for things like CIE, the possible application on actual embedded targets, and the general use of containers for tools and builds in general pipelines.

o. Software Test Automation. The SEC is advancing an enterprise Software Test Automation capability to modernize verification and validation across Army ground vehicle platforms. This initiative integrates automated and hybrid testing methodologies into the full software lifecycle, enabling continuous regression, requirements traceability, and objective digital evidence generation. Leveraging reusable automation frameworks (CATS), centralized orchestration platforms (CTAP), and Software-in-the-Loop (SITL) and Hardware-in-the-Loop (HITL) environments, SEC reduces manual regression cycles, improves defect detection, and accelerates software fielding. The capability supports tactical code validation across approved military software environments and communication interfaces (e.g., MIL-STD-1553, CAN, serial protocols), while enhancing cybersecurity validation and sustainment readiness. The objective is to convert repetitive manual testing effort into scalable, reusable infrastructure that improves quality, lowers lifecycle cost, and supports rapid capability integration across current and future vehicle platforms.

p. Software Safety. The SEC provides comprehensive Software Safety engineering support across Army ground vehicle platforms to ensure safe, reliable, and mission-assured system operation. This capability includes support for Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA), system and software hazard tracking, enforcement of coding standards such as MISRA, and implementation of safety-critical test requirements including C/DC and MC/DC coverage. SEC conducts independent technical reviews of software design, code, and verification artifacts while maintaining bidirectional traceability from hazards through requirements, architecture, implementation, and test results. The objective is to reduce safety risk, ensure compliance with Army and DoD safety standards, and support safe integration of new capabilities into both legacy and future vehicle systems.

q. Digital Distribution. The SEC seeks innovative support to advance its Digital Distribution capability to modernize the delivery and sustainment of software for ground vehicle platforms. Digital Distribution provides a secure, centralized platform for the rapid deployment of software updates, patches, and new capabilities, eliminating the need for physical media. This approach ensures that all systems remain up-to-date with the latest approved software versions, reducing downtime and enhancing mission readiness. By leveraging encryption and authentication protocols, Digital Distribution protects against unauthorized access and tampering, ensuring the integrity of critical software. The objective is to streamline version control and ensures consistency across the fleet, enabling faster and more efficient software fielding.

r. Software Bill of Materials (SBOM). The SEC seeks to enhance its SBOM capability to improve transparency and security across the software lifecycle. SBOM provides a comprehensive inventory of all software components, libraries, and dependencies used in a system, enabling proactive management of vulnerabilities and compliance with government standards. By identifying and tracking software components, SBOM ensures rapid detection and mitigation of cybersecurity risks, reducing the potential for exploitation. It also facilitates lifecycle management by addressing obsolescence issues and ensuring long-term maintainability. This objective is to support the Army’s efforts to improve software quality, enhance cybersecurity, and ensure compliance with Executive Order 14028 on improving the nation’s cybersecurity.

s. Hardware Line Replaceable Unit (LRU) Simulation. The SEC seeks to advance its Hardware LRU Simulation capability to modernize its software development and testing processes. Hosted in the cloud, this simulation environment provides a scalable and cost-effective solution for testing and validating software without the need for physical hardware. Hardware LRU Simulation enables developers to replicate the behavior of hardware components and systems, allowing for early detection of defects and interoperability issues. This approach accelerates development timelines, reduces costs associated with hardware procurement and maintenance, and supports the integration of emerging technologies. The objective is to provide a virtual environment for testing and have Hardware LRU Simulations to ensures that software is thoroughly validated and ready for deployment, enhancing the reliability and performance of Army ground vehicle platforms.

GROUND VEHICLE POWER AND MOBILTIY (GVPM):

GVPM provides the Army with solutions in Ground Vehicle Mobility, Power, and Propulsion. GVPM has developed powertrains, power generation, power distribution and energy storage systems. GVPM facilities encompass labs in engine research, engine/electric machine testing and development, and vehicle performance testing under all climate conditions.

Priority is placed on near term solutions that have the potential for rapid transition to a high Technology Readiness Level (TRL). GVPM maintains interest in longer term technology that advances the performance or enables compact power generation and propulsion systems. In addition, GVPM has interest in emerging technologies for ground vehicle applications for high power, power dense generators, and advanced power electronics that have been integrated into demonstrations as part of a vehicle.

a. Durable Replacement Track System for M88A2 Vehicle. Seeking a drop-in replacement for the M88A2 vehicle existing track systems. The desired solution should require minimal changes to the vehicle, limited to components such as the sprocket and carrier. It is highly desirable to retain the current OEM roadwheels. The solution should leverage proven, commercially available technologies that balance performance and durability with affordability. The T107 track system is currently on the Readiness Driver List, which could inversely affect the vehicles’ availability. PM Mounted Armored Vehicles (MAV) seeks an optimized and modern track solution that can be integrated into the M88A2 platform with minimal modifications while providing better availability, durability and value for the Government.

Requirements

The replacement track system must meet the following preliminary requirements:

1) Compatibility: The track system must be compatible with the current M88A2 platform, requiring minimal modifications (e.g., sprocket and carrier changes). It is highly desirable to retain the current OEM roadwheels.

2) Durability: The track system must demonstrate significantly improved durability compared to the current system, with reduced failure rates while following current OMS/MP (20% Primary roads, 40% secondary and 40% Cross Country roads. 30% of each of these will be completed in “Towed” conditions).

a) Track Pads: 1,000 miles Threshold (T) 2,000 Objective (O)

b) Track Body: 2,000 miles Threshold (T) 3,000 Objective (O)

3) Size and Weight: The track system must conform to the size and weight constraints of the 70T M88A2 vehicle. There is not a specific requirement for a maximum allowed track weight, however track weight and its impact on vehicle performance and life-cycle cost could be used for rating purposes.

4) Performance: The track system must maintain or improve the vehicle's mobility, traction, and operational performance in diverse terrains. Improved tractive effort during towing operations on sloped surfaces is highly desirable.

5) Proven Solution: The track system should be an existing, commercially available product with a proven track record of performance. Solutions used in Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or similar vehicles are encouraged.

6) Ease of Integration: The track system must be designed for straightforward integration into the M88A2 platform without requiring extensive modifications or redesign. Simplicity of integration is a key factor in reducing overall program cost.

7) Cost-Effectiveness: Solutions must demonstrate value through a low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Respondents should describe how their solution minimizes costs over the entire life cycle, including acquisition, maintenance, and replacement.

Offeror must submit country of Origin for the proposed track system or percentage of the system that is made in the USA.

Suspense date for submittal under this AOI is 04/06/2026.

b. Vehicle Power Generation and Distribution. These systems or kits install a power generation capability to a vehicle at power levels 30kW to 350kW. Power dense packaging allows minimal engineering for installation in a vehicle with severe space availability. Utilize mechanical power takeoff interfaces from transmissions or engines. These solutions can include components that convert, condition, and provide connection for power to the common end user voltages (i.e. 600VDC, 440VAC 60hz, 208VAC 60hz, 110VAC 60hz, 24VDC, 12VDC, et. Al). Solutions showing previous demonstrations in a vehicle are of interest.

c. Components Required to Enable Vehicle Power Generation and Power Distribution. GVPM has interest in highly integrated electric machines/systems that are highly compact, nearing serial production, and installed on a vehicle system. Also, interest lies in innovative packaging of electric machines, power controllers and thermal management systems to allow complete compact packaging under space constrained conditions. Capabilities at power levels 30kW to 350kW demonstrated on a vehicle are of interest.

d. Propulsion Systems. Highly integrated power dense drive systems integrating electric machines, energy storage (regen and et. al), braking, and gear reduction. End system applications for 8000lbs to 75000lbs GVW. Any integrated combination of multiple component functions mentioned are also of interest. Solutions showing previous demonstrations in a vehicle are of great interest.

.MODELING AND SIMULATION (M&S)

The GVSC M&S mission is to accelerate innovation through rapid prototyping and experimentation, leveraging industry expertise and soldier feedback to quickly iterate and refine Army ground platform capabilities, optimize design and performance by reducing development time and costs to rapidly evaluate multiple design approaches and incorporate continuous soldier feedback for enhanced usability and operational effectiveness, and inform strategic decisions by maintaining a competitive advantage with data-driven insights by quantifying capabilities, identifying critical technology gaps, and illuminating capability investment opportunities. This effort focuses on advancing modeling and simulation tools and capabilities through industry partnerships and collaborations.

a. Innovative Training Aids and Simulators. With increases in onboard capabilities and increasing technical sophistication of ground vehicles, GVSC is interested in commercial solutions that can improve training, fielding, and maintenance of ground vehicles. This includes providing training and simulations using on- board computing capabilities but also includes standalone equipment.

b. Applying Artificial Intelligence Algorithms to Expedite the Platform Concepting Process for Early

Requirements Shaping and Trade Studies. GVSC M&S is looking to develop an on-premises, SME-credible AI-assisted ground-vehicle concepting demonstration that produces constraint-checked, auditable platform concepts suitable for early requirements shaping and trade studies. While the scope of this project includes expediting concept generation using a wide array of available AI methods, emphasis is placed on using LLM prompts to directly generate/expedite usable Computer-Aided Design (CAD) components. This work will be using decades worth of Government generated data and concepts and will not require additional contractor data. These AI methods must be usable within a U.S. government environment with expectations that the U.S. government will own rights to both the data being used as input but also for the resulting models.

c. Relocatable Facility Accreditation: Agile SCIF Security Oversight. The Government is executing a rapid prototyping effort to design, construct, build and deploy a relocatable facility, the Cybersecurity and Vehicle Cyber Center (CVCC), which requires accreditation for classified use up to the Top Secret level with eligibility for SCI access. This facility is being designed, constructed, built and deployed in the United States. Historically, applying the rigid Intelligence Community Directive (ICD) 705 security standards to rapid, commercially modified prototyping programs has proven difficult to execute without causing significant schedule delays. This creates a critical need for a dedicated Site Security Manager (SSM) to bridge the gap between commercial manufacturing processes and strict government security oversight to include interactions with an Accrediting Official.

The Government seeks innovative commercial solutions to provide comprehensive security oversight. The traditional, sequential methodology for ICD 705 compliance is often incompatible with the speed of commercial prototyping. Therefore, the Government requires an "agile compliance process"—a solution that successfully integrates and enforces legacy ICD 705 government security oversight within a rapid, commercially driven prototyping program for a relocatable facility.

The Government is seeking industry partners capable of acting as the Site Security Manager (SSM) to ensure the aforementioned prototyping effort achieves full ICD 705 accreditation. The company shall have a Top Secret Facility Clearence Level. Submissions should demonstrate innovative methodologies for integrating security into the commercial prototyping lifecycle. Specific areas of interest include:

• Lifecycle Site Security Management (SSM) Oversight: This sub-topic seeks the provision of a qualified SSM to serve as the primary liaison between the commercial prototyping vendor, the Government Program Office, and the Accrediting Official (AO) / Certified TEMPEST Technical Authority (CTTA). The SSM must provide continuous oversight of architectural designs, material procurement, and physical construction, ensuring all deviations or commercial modifications are evaluated for their impact on ICD 705 compliance. The person shall have a Top Secret clearance with eligibility for SCI access.

• Agile Construction Security Plan (CSP) Development and Execution: This sub-topic focuses on the development, approval, implementation, and management of a CSP that adapts to a rapid commercial build schedule. The solution must meet the stringent physical, acoustic, and technical (TEMPEST) requirements of ICD 705 and ICS 705-1. Desired outcomes include innovative approaches to conducting security inspections, documenting construction phases, performing construction surveillance duties, and managing secure supply chains without halting commercial manufacturing timelines.

• Accelerated Accreditation Documentation and Delivery: This sub-topic focuses on the streamlined generation and management of all required accreditation artifacts. The desired solution will enable the agile preparation of the Fixed Facility Checklist (FFC), TEMPEST addendums, acoustic testing reports, and the final accreditation package to ensure the facility is ready for immediate operational deployment and AO approval upon delivery.

Anticipated Schedule: four months design activities, followed by five months pre-construction activities, followed by 11 months on site construction work immediately after award.

Suspense date for submittal under this AOI is 06/19/2026

VEHICLE ELECTRONICS AND ARCHITECTURE (VEA):

The VEA mission is to design, integrate and deliver vehicle electronics systems by leveraging advanced technologies to provide enhanced capabilities for military ground vehicles.

a. High Performance Compute Solution: The US Army is actively researching and evaluating embedded high-performance computing solutions to support next-generation capabilities in challenging operational environments. We are particularly interested in MOSA-based platforms capable of seamlessly hosting and integrating emerging technologies, including AiTR (AI-enabled Targeting & Recognition), Anti-jamming, Automated Lethality, Survivability, Electronic Warfare (EW) and Defense. The goal is to take current algorithms for these technologies as well as Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning (AI/ML) capabilities and evaluate them for true processing needs. We are interested in learning more about system architecture, processing power (specifically relating to AI/ML workloads), ruggedization, thermal cooling, security features, C-UAS, power efficiency, and demonstrated performance in similar applications.

DETROIT ARSENAL PROTOTYPE INTEGRATION FACILITY (DTA PIF):

The DTA PIF mission is to provide robust, innovative solutions to our customer requirements for our shared military missions.

a. Advance Vehicle Development - Rapid Response Hardware Solutions. To address emergent capability gaps, DTA-PIF is soliciting innovative commercial solution briefs targeting rapid response hardware solution focused on dual-use, modular, and easily deployable systems. The objective is to procure tangible hardware solutions capable of being manufactured, configured, and fielded in an expedited manner, rather than the months or years associated with traditional defense hardware programs. This initiative seeks industry partners to provide end-to-end development and delivery of turn-key hardware systems, from initial concept through low-volume manufacturing and sustainment.

What could I use the funding for?

Depending on the applicable Area of Interest, awards may support activities such as:

• Commercial technology adaptation

• Prototype development

• Pilot projects

• Demonstrations

• Agile software development

• Commercial integration

• Technology maturation

• Testing and validation

• Systems integration

• Sustainment activities

The Government also states that awards may support commercially available technologies, commercial technologies enhanced through strategic investment, existing government-owned capabilities, or concepts intended for broader defense applications.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

In addition to potential funding, selected companies may receive opportunities to:

• Demonstrate technology directly to Army subject matter experts.

• Participate in Army experimentation activities.

• Collaborate with Government technical experts.

• Mature commercial technologies for military applications.

• Potentially transition technologies into future Army programs.

The solicitation also provides flexibility to use several acquisition pathways, including commercial contracts under FAR Part 12, Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), and Cooperative Agreements, depending on the specific effort.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Most Areas of Interest remain open for solution brief submissions unless an individual AoI specifies its own submission deadline.

The solicitation states that awards may be made throughout 2029, and additional Areas of Interest may be added at any time during the life of the CSO. Companies are encouraged to regularly monitor SAM.gov for new or amended topics.

The general evaluation process consists of:

1. Phase 1 – Solution Brief

2. Phase 2 – Presentation or Demonstration (if requested)

3. Phase 3 – Invitation to submit a Commercial Solution Proposal (CSP)

The Government may bypass phases, request additional information, or accelerate evaluations based on program priorities and available funding. Funding timelines are not specified in the solicitation.

Where does this funding come from?

This Commercial Solutions Opening is administered by the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Ground Vehicle Systems Center (GVSC) under the authority provided by 10 U.S.C. 3458 for Commercial Solutions Openings.

GVSC is the Army's research and development organization for advanced ground vehicle technologies and supports Army modernization priorities across numerous technical disciplines including autonomy, mobility, survivability, power systems, software engineering, cyber engineering, manufacturing, and modeling and simulation.

Who is eligible to apply?

The solicitation is intended for companies and organizations with innovative commercial technologies that can help advance Army ground vehicle capabilities.

The solicitation specifically defines and references the following entity types:

• Commercial companies

• Small businesses

• Nontraditional Defense Contractors

• Nonprofit institutions

• Foreign-owned businesses (subject to applicable approvals and restrictions)

• Other organizations capable of providing innovative commercial products, technologies, or services

Companies must also satisfy standard federal contracting requirements before receiving an award, including obtaining a Unique Entity ID (UEI), maintaining an active SAM registration, registering in the required government invoicing system, and being determined responsible by the Contracting Officer.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation does not provide a general list of ineligible applicants.

However, organizations may be unable to receive an award if they:

• Are suspended or debarred from doing business with the Federal Government.

• Are prohibited by law or Executive Order from receiving federal awards.

• Cannot satisfy required registration requirements.

• Cannot obtain any required security approvals associated with a particular project.

Foreign-owned businesses may submit solution briefs independently or as part of a team. However, the solicitation notes that the ability to ultimately receive an award may depend upon obtaining the necessary clearances and approvals required for the proposed work.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The solicitation does not prescribe a preferred company size or business model. Instead, GVSC emphasizes commercially viable, innovative technologies that can rapidly address Army modernization needs.

During Phase 1, solution briefs are evaluated primarily on:

• Responsiveness to the Area of Interest.

• Technical merit.

• Innovation.

• Commercial applicability.

• Availability of funding.

Across later evaluation phases, the Government also considers:

• Technical feasibility.

• Technology maturity.

• Schedule realism.

• Price reasonableness.

• Business viability.

• Intellectual property considerations.

• Ability to support Army requirements with commercially available or rapidly adaptable technology.

Overall, companies with mature commercial technologies that require limited additional development before Army demonstration or transition are likely to be well aligned with this CSO.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation does not specify the expected number of awards or anticipated success rate.

Several factors suggest this opportunity will be highly competitive:

• It remains open across numerous technology areas.

• It is available to a broad range of commercial innovators.

• New Areas of Interest may be added throughout the life of the solicitation.

• Funding availability may vary by topic.

• The Government reserves the right to select all, some, or none of the submitted solutions.

Because solution briefs are evaluated against the published criteria rather than directly against competing submissions, applicants should focus on demonstrating clear alignment with the specific Area of Interest and providing a compelling commercial solution.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Important requirements include:

• Solution briefs, presentations, and proposals must be Unclassified.

• Individual solution briefs may address only one concept for a given Area of Interest.

• Companies may submit multiple solution briefs if each represents a separate concept.

• The Government generally expects a period of performance of 12 months or less, unless otherwise specified within an Area of Interest.

• Technical data with military applications may require export approvals.

• Proposal preparation costs are not reimbursed unless specifically stated.

• Proprietary information should be properly marked.

• Additional submission instructions may vary by Area of Interest.

Applicants should always review the individual AoI before preparing a submission, as additional technical requirements or deadlines may apply.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify how long applicants should expect to prepare a submission.

The initial Phase 1 submission is intentionally brief.

Unless otherwise stated by the applicable Area of Interest, Phase 1 consists of either:

• A written solution brief of no more than five single-sided pages, or

• A presentation deck of no more than fifteen slides.

Companies invited to later phases should expect additional preparation for presentations and Commercial Solution Proposals.

How can BW&CO help?

The DEVCOM GVSC CSO is significantly different from a traditional federal grant competition. Rather than preparing a lengthy proposal upfront, companies typically begin with a concise Solution Brief that must quickly demonstrate technical merit, commercial innovation, and alignment with the Army's Area of Interest.

BW&CO helps companies:

• Determine which Area(s) of Interest best align with their technology.

• Develop compelling Phase 1 Solution Briefs.

• Position commercial technologies for defense applications.

• Strengthen commercialization and transition strategies.

• Prepare presentation materials for later evaluation phases.

• Develop Commercial Solution Proposals (CSPs) when invited.

• Navigate the unique requirements of Commercial Solutions Openings, OTAs, and Army acquisition pathways.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

DIU: Specular MIST Prize Challenge

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The DIU Specular MIST Prize Challenge is a Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) prize competition seeking commercial technologies that improve maritime electronic warfare, electronic surveillance, and radar training capabilities for crewed and autonomous Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs). The challenge is conducted in collaboration with the Department of the Navy Rapid Capabilities Office (DONRCO) and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific.

The solicitation is focused on accelerating the development, prototyping, and production of modular payloads that can be integrated onto manned and autonomous surface vessels. Companies compete through a three-phase process consisting of a written proposal, an at-sea demonstration, and a potential post-demonstration pathway that may include additional prize funding and eligibility for follow-on prototype or production opportunities.

Applications are accepted under three Lines of Effort (LOEs):

• LOE 1 – Threat Radar Simulators

• LOE 2 – Active Electronic Attack (EA)

• LOE 3 – Passive Electronic Surveillance

The solicitation emphasizes modular open-system architectures, software-defined capabilities, scalability, production readiness, and solutions designed for maritime environments.

The Phase 1 submission deadline is July 22, 2026 at 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time. Companies interested in participating should begin preparing their White Paper and Pitch Deck immediately because selected vendors may be invited to demonstrate their technology less than two months later during the live at-sea event.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation states there is a total cash prize pool of $5,000,000, distributed across multiple phases of the challenge.

Funding opportunities include:

Phase 1

• Vendors selected to advance from the written proposal evaluation receive up to $250,000 to fund participation in the live demonstration.

Phase 2

• Companies selected following the At-Sea Challenge may receive up to $1,000,000 per selected company.

Phase 3

• Additional prize funding may be awarded as companies continue supporting operational units and iterative product development. The solicitation does not specify individual Phase 3 award amounts.

What could I use the funding for?

The funding supports development, demonstration, maturation, and potential fielding of technologies that address maritime sensing, electronic warfare, and training challenges.

Projects must align with one of three Lines of Effort.

LOE 1 – Threat Radar Simulators

Develop maritime-compatible radar simulators that:

• Emit complex S-band signals

• Operate from moving vessels

• Operate remotely

• Support future integration onto autonomous USVs

• Meet the technical specifications outlined in the solicitation.

LOE 2 – Active Electronic Attack

Develop systems capable of:

• Autonomous electronic warfare

• Detecting multiple RF signals

• Adaptive real-time jamming

• Operating without operator intervention

• Integration onboard autonomous USVs.

LOE 3 – Passive Electronic Surveillance

Develop remotely operated RF surveillance systems capable of:

• Monitoring the RF environment

• Supporting VHF and UHF bands

• Operating with multiple layers of encryption

• Hosting government-provided software

• Supporting Navy cybersecurity requirements.

Across all applicable LOEs, solutions should address:

• Modular open-system architectures

• Software-defined capabilities

• SWaP optimization

• Maritime environmental resilience

• Remote command and control

• Production scalability

• Cost-effective manufacturing.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond prize funding, the solicitation identifies several potential benefits.

These include:

• Direct operational engagement with leaders across multiple branches of the U.S. Department of Defense.

• Live operational testing with military end users during the At-Sea Challenge.

• Eligibility for potential follow-on Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreements under 10 USC 4022.

• Eligibility for prize awards under 10 USC 4025.

• Potential system procurement for extended testing.

• Opportunity for continued operational feedback and iterative product development during Phase 3.

The solicitation also states that there is no guarantee that follow-on awards or contracts will be awarded.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Challenge Timeline

• July 8, 2026: Challenge opens and solicitation is released.

• July 22, 2026 at 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time: Phase 1 submission deadline for the White Paper and Pitch Deck.

• July 29, 2026: Companies selected to advance to Phase 2 are announced.

• August 5, 2026: Virtual Q&A session for selected Phase 2 participants.

• September 10, 2026: At-Sea Challenge live demonstration begins in Southern California.

• September 25, 2026: At-Sea Challenge live demonstration concludes.

• October 23, 2026: Prize Challenge Board completes deliberations.

• October 30, 2026: Prize Challenge winners are announced.

Funding is distributed across the challenge phases.

• Phase 1 participants selected to advance receive up to $250,000.

• Phase 2 down-selected companies may receive up to $1,000,000.

• Phase 3 participants may receive additional prize funding, although specific amounts are not specified.

The solicitation does not specify when individual prize payments will be disbursed after each phase.

Where does this funding come from?

The Specular MIST Prize Challenge is sponsored by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) in collaboration with the Department of the Navy Rapid Capabilities Office (DONRCO) and Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific.

The challenge is intended to accelerate the development, prototyping, and fielding of commercial technologies that address maritime training and operational needs for the Department of Defense. According to the solicitation, DIU uses the challenge to identify innovative, scalable, and cost-effective solutions that can be rapidly transitioned into operational use.

The solicitation states that high-performing participants may become eligible for:

• Prize awards under 10 USC 4025

• Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreements under 10 USC 4022

• Potential system procurement for extended testing

The solicitation also states that there is no guarantee that follow-on awards or contracts will be made.

Who is eligible to apply?

The solicitation is an open call to small businesses and non-traditional defense contractors developing innovative commercial technologies that address one or more of the three Lines of Effort.

Companies may:

• Submit separate proposals for LOE 1, LOE 2, and/or LOE 3.

• Submit a combined proposal covering LOE 1 and LOE 2.

• Submit teaming proposals if multiple organizations are needed to deliver the required capabilities.

For Phase 1, the solicitation states:

• An active Facility Clearance (FCL) is not required to submit a proposal.

• All Phase 1 work will be conducted in unclassified environments.

• Applications must be fully unclassified.

To participate in Phase 2, applicants must meet additional security requirements, including:

• Contractor personnel requiring classified access must possess and maintain a final U.S. Government SECRET security clearance or higher. Interim clearances are acceptable for initial performance.

• Compliance with applicable SIPRNet or JWICS access requirements.

• Compliance with DD Form 254 requirements for classified work.

• If classified material will be stored at the contractor's facility, possession of a DCSA-approved classified storage capability at the SECRET level or higher.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation does not provide a standalone list of ineligible applicants, but it identifies several situations that would prevent participation or make a submission noncompetitive.

Examples include:

• Companies proposing solutions that do not address one of the three specified Lines of Effort.

• Proprietary solutions that are "walled off" or require extensive integration effort for third-party technologies.

• Applicants unable to satisfy the security requirements necessary for Phase 2 participation.

• Applications that are not submitted through the official DIU portal before the submission deadline.

• Classified submissions, since Phase 1 applications must be fully unclassified.

The solicitation also states that companies with ideas outside the scope of the solicitation should not submit them.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The solicitation describes the characteristics evaluators will use when selecting companies throughout each phase of the competition.

Competitive projects are expected to demonstrate:

• Strong alignment with the technical requirements of the selected Line of Effort.

• Technical viability and a clear approach to solving the identified capability gap.

• Modular, open-system architectures.

• Software-defined capabilities where applicable.

• Optimization for Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP).

• Ability to operate in maritime environments.

• Scalability for production at increasing unit quantities.

• Realistic pricing and lifecycle maintenance planning.

• Demonstrated production capability and corporate expertise.

• Clear operational value for Department of Defense users.

During the live demonstration, evaluators will also consider:

• Operational performance under realistic maritime and electromagnetic conditions.

• Ease of use by military operators.

• Training documentation provided by the company.

• Quality of the company presentation and value proposition.

• Potential commercial viability outside the defense market.

For Phase 3, evaluators additionally consider:

• Ability to rapidly manufacture operational systems.

• Positive impact on military tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs).

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation does not specify the number of expected applications or the number of Phase 1 awards.

However, the challenge is structured as a multi-phase competitive down-selection process, with companies advancing through progressively more rigorous evaluations.

Participants compete through:

• Phase 1 written proposal evaluation.

• Phase 2 live operational demonstration.

• Phase 3 operational assessment and user-driven iteration.

Throughout the competition, proposals are evaluated on technical performance, company capability, production scalability, pricing, operational effectiveness, and end-user feedback. Only selected companies advance between phases.

Because the solicitation includes live demonstrations, military operator evaluations, and multiple down-selection stages, applicants should expect a highly competitive process. The solicitation does not specify anticipated success rates or award percentages.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

The solicitation includes several important requirements and limitations applicants should consider before applying.

Submission requirements

• Applications must be fully unclassified.

• Proposals must be submitted through the official DIU portal before the submission deadline.

• Companies may submit separate proposals for LOE 1, LOE 2, and LOE 3. LOE 1 and LOE 2 may also be combined into a single proposal, while LOE 3 requires a separate submission.

White Paper requirements

Applicants must submit:

• A White Paper of no more than 6 pages.

• Font size 11 or 12.

• 1-point line spacing.

• 1-inch margins.

• The White Paper must state the current Technology Readiness Level (TRL), with TRL 6+ preferred for the sensor package, identify the applicable Line of Effort, and include a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) for cost and schedule.

Pitch Deck requirements

Applicants must also submit:

• A PDF presentation in 16:9 (1920 × 1080) format.

• A maximum of 8 slides, plus one additional slide for each Line of Effort included in the proposal.

Technical expectations

For applicable Lines of Effort, solutions should address:

• Modular, open-system architectures.

• Software-defined capabilities.

• Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) optimization.

• Maritime environmental resilience.

• Production scalability.

• Remote command and control capabilities.

• Technical requirements specific to the selected Line of Effort.

Security requirements

While Phase 1 is entirely unclassified, companies advancing to Phase 2 must satisfy the personnel clearance, network access, and classified safeguarding requirements described in the solicitation.

Intellectual Property

Applicants retain ownership of their existing intellectual property. By submitting, applicants grant DIU a limited license to use submitted intellectual property for testing and evaluation related to the challenge. Any additional use, integration, or development would be negotiated separately.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify how long applicants should expect to spend preparing a submission.

However, applicants must prepare both:

• A technical White Paper meeting the solicitation's formatting and content requirements.

• A Pitch Deck describing the proposed operational solution.

Applicants should also be prepared to document:

• Technical capabilities.

• Technology Readiness Level (TRL).

• Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost and schedule.

• Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C).

• Production scalability.

• Delivery timelines.

• Training plans.

• Technical performance and ruggedness.

• Relevance to the selected Line of Effort.

Because the Phase 1 submission deadline is July 22, 2026 at 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time, companies should begin preparing their submissions as soon as possible.

How can BW&CO help?

Preparing a competitive submission requires more than simply responding to the solicitation requirements. BW&CO works with technology companies to develop proposals that clearly communicate technical capabilities, commercialization potential, and alignment with Department of Defense priorities.

For the Specular MIST Prize Challenge, BW&CO can help your team:

• Determine the most appropriate Line of Effort for your technology.

• Develop a compliant White Paper that addresses the evaluation criteria.

• Prepare a compelling Pitch Deck for the Phase 1 review.

• Clearly communicate your technology's operational value, production readiness, and scalability.

• Position your company for potential follow-on opportunities, including Prototype Other Transaction (OT) agreements, if selected.

With the July 22, 2026 at 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time submission deadline, companies should begin preparing application materials immediately.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

DIU - Massed Modular Aircraft CSO

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) is seeking commercial solutions for Massed Modular Aircraft (MMA)—cost-effective, theater-range unmanned aircraft designed to operate in large numbers despite expected combat losses. The Joint Force is looking for modular platforms capable of carrying a variety of payloads, including Full Motion Video (FMV) sensors, while supporting long-range strike, intelligence, electronic warfare, and communications missions.

DIU is specifically interested in technologies that can provide affordable, rapidly manufacturable unmanned aircraft capable of overwhelming sophisticated air defenses through mass rather than relying on small numbers of high-cost platforms.

Applications are due by 2026-07-23 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time. Companies should begin preparing immediately, as DIU rarely grants extensions and solution briefs must be submitted electronically through the DIU website.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify the amount of the award but typically these opportunities range from about $500,000 to about $5 million

What could I use the funding for?

Funding may support prototype projects for technologies that address the Massed Modular Aircraft Area of Interest, including solutions that provide:

• Cost-effective, theater-range modular unmanned aircraft

• Long-range payload delivery

• Full Motion Video (FMV) sensor integration

• Weapons employment

• Intelligence collection

• Electronic warfare

• Communications relay

• Modular payload integration

• Rapid technology integration using Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles

• Prototype development and flight testing

The solicitation identifies the following desired capabilities:

• Payload capacity of at least 2,800 lbs

• Unrefueled combat radius of at least 2,300 nautical miles

• One-way self-deployment of at least 8,000 nautical miles

• One-to-many operator-to-UAS control

• Hybrid SATCOM/mesh networking

• Operation from 6,000-foot or shorter prepared or semi-improved runways

• Approximately 25kW available power and 5kW cooling for payloads

• Full-scale prototype flight testing within 21 months of award

• Target Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in FY2031 consisting of 20 mission-ready aircraft delivered to an operational unit.

Capabilities Sought:

Primary Attributes Sought

• Risk Tolerance: Designed for affordable, high-rate manufacture, and minimized total ownership cost

• Sufficient Munition and Sensor Payload Capacity: Payload capacity of at least 2800 lbs

• Meaningful Range: Unrefueled combat radius of at least 2300 nautical miles while carrying payload and ability to self-deploy one-way at least 8,000 nautical miles

• Maximum Interoperability, and Integration: Capable of rapid integration and upgrades via exploitation of the following Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) tenets: a) Government Reference Architectures; b) Model Based Systems Engineering; c) formal methods-based software verification

Secondary Attributes Sought

• Autonomy for Control: a one-to-many operator-to-UAS control ratio

• Sufficiently Resilient and Integrated Communications: Hybrid SATCOM/mesh network connecting to Department of the Air Force-Battle Network (DAF-BN); execution of local airfield operations (taxi, takeoff, landing, and divert) under highly degraded or denied primary C2/SATCOM conditions

• Tactically Relevant: At least 200 knots true airspeed; operation from 6,000-foot runway or shorter, semi-improved or prepared

• Sufficient SWaP-C: Sufficient available size, weight, power (25kW), and cooling (5kW) to host a variety of internal and/or external payloads. Enables rapid payload exchange

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

The solicitation states that a successful Prototype Other Transaction Agreement may result in the direct award of a follow-on production contract or agreement without further competitive procedures if the prototype project is successfully completed.

The follow-on production effort may be used by one or more Department of Defense organizations and could be significantly larger than the Prototype OT agreement.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Application deadline

• 2026-07-23 23:59:59 US/Eastern Time

After submission:

• DIU evaluates Phase 1 Solution Briefs.

• Selected companies are invited to a Phase 2 virtual or in-person pitch.

• Companies selected after the pitch may be invited to submit a full written proposal for a Prototype OTA.

• Full-scale prototype flight testing is expected within 21 months of award.

• The target Initial Operating Capability (IOC) is FY2031.

The solicitation does not specify when awards or funding will be issued.

DIU states it will generally notify companies within approximately 30 days if it is interested in moving forward with a pitch.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) using the Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) process.

Awards are made as Prototype Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) under 10 U.S.C. § 4022.

Who is eligible to apply?

The solicitation states it is open to:

• U.S. vendors

• International vendors

To utilize an Other Transaction Agreement, the requirements of 10 U.S.C. 4022 must be satisfied, including at least one of the following:

• At least one nontraditional defense contractor or nonprofit research institution participates to a significant extent;

• All significant non-government participants are small businesses or nontraditional defense contractors; or

• At least one-third of the prototype project cost is funded from non-federal sources.

Companies selected for award that do not already have a CAGE code are required to register in SAM.gov.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation does not identify specific categories of organizations that are prohibited from applying.

However, companies must satisfy the statutory eligibility requirements for Prototype Other Transaction Agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022, and companies receiving awards must register in SAM and meet federal responsibility requirements.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Based on the stated evaluation criteria, DIU is seeking solutions that:

• Directly address the Massed Modular Aircraft problem statement

• Demonstrate strong technical merit

• Are technically feasible

• Offer a unique or innovative commercial approach

• Show company viability

• Demonstrate manufacturability

• Present acceptable pricing and schedules during Phase 2

• Address modularity, affordability, long-range performance, and operational relevance

The solicitation also emphasizes demonstrated commercial technology rather than conceptual ideas whenever possible.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation indicates that DIU routinely receives more Solution Briefs than it has resources to award.

Only a select number of companies will be invited to the Phase 2 pitch, even if multiple submissions are considered technically meritorious.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Applicants should note:

• Solution Briefs should be approximately 5 pages or 15 slides.

• Submissions must be submitted electronically through the DIU website.

• Late submissions will not be evaluated.

• Only one concept may be included in each Solution Brief.

• Solution Briefs must be unclassified.

• Companies must certify submission requirements, including compliance regarding Controlled Unclassified Information.

• Any resulting agreement will require compliance with Section 889 of the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019.

• Prototype projects generally should have periods of performance no greater than 24 months.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify the expected preparation time.

Applicants are encouraged to prepare a concise Solution Brief that is approximately five pages or fifteen slides and includes company information, an executive summary, technology description, commercialization information, and company viability details.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can help your team prepare a competitive DIU submission by:

• Assessing alignment with the Area of Interest

• Developing a compliant Solution Brief

• Positioning your commercial technology against DIU evaluation criteria

• Strengthening technical and commercialization messaging

• Preparing your team for the Phase 2 pitch

• Supporting proposal development if invited to submit a full written proposal

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

Rapid Prototyping and Flight Demonstration of Medium-Range Affordable Mass Munition Air Vehicle Configurations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft and Fighter Platforms

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Rapid Prototyping and Flight Demonstration of Medium-Range Affordable Mass Munition (MRAMM) Air Vehicle Configurations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft and Fighter Platforms challenge seeks prototype solutions that increase missile density, reduce cost, and improve operational flexibility for air-to-air engagements in contested environments. The effort focuses on designing, integrating, and flight demonstrating affordable mass air-to-air weapon configurations that support collaborative combat aircraft (CCA), autonomous collaborative platforms (ACP), tactical fighter aircraft, and future manned or unmanned operational platforms.

The Government intends to rapidly prototype representative MRAMM air vehicle configurations capable of improving magazine capacity, aerodynamic performance, scalable manufacturing, and operational integration while generating data to support future force design and fielding decisions.

Application deadline: Oct 08, 2026, 09:32 AM, as listed in the Marketplace challenge. Reviews begin 17 Jul and occur biweekly, making early submission advantageous.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify the amount of the award but typically these opportunities range from about $500,000 to about $5 million

What could I use the funding for?

Prototype efforts may include:

• Designing prototype MRAMM air vehicle configurations

• Fabricating representative prototype systems

• Developing modular open system architectures

• Validating rail-launch compatibility

• Demonstrating scalable manufacturing approaches

• Integrating prototypes onto platforms such as the XQ-58A or other CCA/ACP assets

• Conducting captive-carry and flight demonstrations

• Evaluating aerodynamic performance and maneuverability

• Generating operational, manufacturing, aerodynamic, and integration data

• Supporting future force design and operational employment concepts

Desired solutions are intended to increase missile density while maintaining tactically relevant medium-range performance and reducing cost through scalable manufacturing.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

If successful, prototype efforts are intended to:

• Support future force design decisions

• Inform operational employment concepts

• Support future transition pathways

• Generate evidence for future operational experimentation

• Reduce technical and operational risk through rapid prototyping

The solicitation does not specify any commercialization assistance, mentoring, follow-on funding, or other participant benefits beyond the prototype effort.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Key dates listed in the solicitation include:

• Reviews begin: 17 Jul and occur biweekly

• Application deadline: Oct 08, 2026, 09:32 AM

• ONI anticipates a rapid down-select within 30–45 days of posting.

The solicitation does not specify when awards will be made or when funding will be received.

Where does this funding come from?

This opportunity is sponsored by:

• Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Research and Engineering Prototyping & Experimentation (ODASW(P&E))

The contracting path states that award will be made under the ONIX OTA in coordination with ACC-RI.

Who is eligible to apply?

The solicitation states that the opportunity is open to:

• U.S.-based industry organizations

• Academic organizations

• Nonprofit organizations

Respondents must register on gocolosseum.org to submit.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation does not specify additional ineligible applicant categories beyond stating eligibility is limited to U.S.-based industry, academic, and nonprofit organizations.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Based on the stated evaluation criteria, competitive proposals are likely to demonstrate:

• Strong aerodynamic performance

• Rail-launch compatibility

• Medium-range performance and maneuverability

• Modular open system architecture

• Increased magazine density

• Performance in contested, jammed, and stealth-enabled environments

• Lower unit cost

• Scalable manufacturing

• Successful flight demonstration

• Integration with XQ-58A or other CCA/ACP platforms

Evaluation emphasizes technical performance (40%), operational effectiveness (24%), cost and manufacturing (20%), and integration and demonstration (16%).

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation does not specify:

• Expected number of submissions

• Number of anticipated awards

• Historical success rates

Submissions will be evaluated through subject matter expert review and ONI's AI-powered rubric generation tools using the published evaluation criteria.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Applicants should note:

• Responses should be 2–10 pages maximum

• Registration on gocolosseum.org is required

• Proposals should include:

  • Company information

  • Past performance

  • Period of performance

  • Technical approach

  • Deliverables

  • Schedule and milestones

  • Payment schedule

  • Patents and data rights

  • Costs by milestone (ROM at a minimum)

The solicitation does not specify additional restrictions regarding cost share, TRLs, intellectual property requirements, or security clearances.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation requests a relatively concise submission of 2–10 pages together with company information, past performance, technical approach, milestones, costs, and supporting proposal information.

The solicitation does not specify an estimated proposal preparation time.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can help organizations prepare a competitive submission by:

• Interpreting the solicitation requirements

• Developing a compliant technical narrative

• Aligning the proposal with the published evaluation rubric

• Highlighting prototype maturity, manufacturing scalability, and operational impact

• Preparing milestones, schedules, and cost narratives

• Reviewing the submission for compliance before submission

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for NSWC Crane - N0016424SNB35

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) is an always-open opportunity for companies, universities, nonprofits, and research organizations developing innovative defense technologies that support U.S. national security. Rather than focusing on a single topic, this BAA accepts revolutionary research ideas and technology demonstrations across ten broad technical capability areas, allowing organizations to submit proposals when they have a compelling solution.

Proposals and abstracts may be submitted on a rolling basis. The current response deadline is July 7, 2027, at 4:00 PM EDT. Multiple awards are anticipated, and selected projects may be funded through procurement contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or other transactions depending on the nature of the work. Organizations with technologies aligned to NSWC Crane's mission should engage early, as proposals are evaluated as they are received and funding availability varies by project.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify award amounts.

The BAA states:

• Multiple awards are anticipated.

• Individual award values will vary depending on the technology area and the proposed technical approach.

• Periods of performance will also vary by project.

• Awards may be made as:

  • Procurement contracts

  • Grants

  • Cooperative agreements

  • Technology Investment Agreements (TIAs)

  • Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs)

What could I use the funding for?

Funding is intended to support innovative research, development, prototyping, technology demonstrations, and related activities that advance NSWC Crane's mission.

The BAA seeks projects supporting one or more of the following technical capability areas:

• Electronic Warfare

• Infrared and Pyrotechnic Countermeasures

• Strategic Systems Hardware

• Expeditionary Warfare and Systems

• Advanced Electronics

• Sensors and Surveillance Systems

• Hypersonic Weapon Systems

• Power and Energy Systems

• Electro-optic and Infrared Technologies

• Force Level Electronic Warfare Mission Analysis, Advanced Concepts and Technologies

Within these areas, NSWC Crane is interested in technologies including (but not limited to):

• Artificial intelligence and machine learning

• Trusted microelectronics

• Radar and RF systems

• EO/IR sensors

• Quantum technologies

• Power and energy storage

• Advanced batteries

• Directed energy enabling technologies

• Cybersecurity

• Counter-UAS technologies

• Modeling and simulation

• Autonomous systems

• Advanced manufacturing

• Digital engineering

• Hypersonic technologies

• Sensor fusion

• Radio frequency-enabled cyber capabilities

Projects supporting multiple technical capability areas are encouraged but are not required.

Topic Areas:

• 1. Electronic Warfare (EW)

  Research and development for materials, material processing, microelectronics, radio frequency (RF), electro-optic infrared (EOIR) and other hardware that improves the efficiency, capability and responsiveness of EW systems used in all warfighting domains (land, sea, air, space, and cyber). Algorithms, digital signal processing techniques and photonics approaches that improves EW system responsiveness and accuracy. Hardware and software-based solutions focused on manipulation of electromagnetic spectrum (EMS) signatures or emissions to include signature management. Material and non-material solutions that improve sustainability and affordability of EW systems and their components. Novel and low-cost approaches to EW test and evaluation (T&E) supporting fast-to-field initiatives. Technology demonstrations that include prototypes of component or system level solutions to EW problems. EW mission analysis that may include a combination of live, virtual or constructive representations of EW systems, platforms or unique capabilities in single or multiple engagements and campaign simulations. Research and development that enable improvements in EW component or EW system Size, Weight and Power (SWAP). Research and development that support the integration of EW capability into unmanned systems. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) approaches with emphasis on accuracy, generalizability, and tactical employment of AI and ML in support of all EW functions.

• 2. Infrared and Pyrotechnic Countermeasures

  Research, design, development, prototyping, and demonstration of safe, reliable, and effective infrared (IR) and electro-optic (EO) countermeasures, countermeasure systems, and pyrotechnics for platform protection, target enhancement, counterintelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C-ISR), illumination, and signaling and marking. Seeking innovative approaches to Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force platform protection through design, development, modeling and simulation (M&S), integration, test and evaluation (T&E), and fielding of camouflage, concealment, and deception devices, countermeasures, threat warning, and dispensing systems. Unique solutions that improve current capabilities in M&S, T&E, simulators, and all infrared countermeasure and pyrotechnic solutions, especially those that also incorporate RF with EO/IR are encouraged.

• 3. Strategic Systems Hardware

  Research and development, prototyping, technology demonstration, and test & evaluation of safe, reliable, secure and effective hardware that supports the Department of Navy and DoD nuclear deterrence community. Innovation around Strategic Systems Hardware design starting at the physics level for materials and devices including quantum, mechanics, thermodynamics, electronics and electromagnetism. Application to specific systems and subsystems such as acoustic sensors, navigation, fire control, launch, flight, guidance, onboard & pier side mechanical & electrical support systems, as well as modeling & simulation and integrated verification & validation of those systems. Approaches that facilitate strategic hardware reliability through design, manufacturing and assessment of radiation hardened microelectronics for space missions, nuclear modernization, and missile defense are desired. Special emphasis is placed on research that enables secure, robust, and resilient microelectronics, sensors and embedded systems for military applications in severe environments. Other areas of interest include digital engineering and system modeling of requirements, interface management, system level architecture integration with model-based systems engineering. Data analytics, intelligent design with artificial intelligence and machine learning, configuration and data management, and improved procedures and trainings with augmented and virtual reality will be beneficial.

• 4. Expeditionary Warfare and Systems (ExWar)

  Research, development, prototyping, and demonstration of technology associated with Expeditionary Warfare, commonly considered mission sets executed by the USMC, NAVSPECWAR & SOF, NECC, and other maritime & land-based forces. ExWar technologies can include sensor systems, battle management systems, communications and command & control systems, and kinetic & non-kinetic effectors. Unmanned (UxS) and Counter-Unmanned (C-UxS) systems technologies are of particular interest to this area of research. Novel, end-to-end capability development and demonstration via rapid prototyping and fleet experimentation is a goal for the ExWar area of research. Areas of concentration at NSWC Crane in support of ExWar capabilities include EO/IR Sensor Systems, Radar Sensor Systems, Command & Control Systems, Cyber Security, Weapon Systems & Munitions, Power & Energy, Mobility Systems, and Electronic Warfare Systems. Capabilities that enable Naval expeditionary strategies and concepts, such as Distributed Maritime Operations, Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations, and force modernization are a focus for NSWC Crane.

• 5. Advanced Electronics

  Research, development, prototyping, and demonstration of affordable, sustainable microelectronics solutions that provide asymmetric capability for the Department of Navy and the DoD Enterprise in support of the following platforms but not limited to hypersonic weapon systems and their platforms, ballistic missile defense systems, electronic warfare systems, command; control; communications; computing; intelligence; surveillance; and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems, cyber-physical systems, space surveillance systems, maritime and undersea autonomous systems. Areas of interest but not limited to basic and applied trusted microelectronics research & development (including design, development, acquisition, test and evaluation, advanced prototyping, technology maturation and technology demonstration) in support of security systems engineering to integrate advanced electronics within complex systems satisfying security and resilience objectives. Microelectronics technology areas of interests include but are not limited to active and passive electronic devices, circuit cards, advanced Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) logic for ASICs and programmable logic, volatile and nonvolatile memory, radiation hardened technologies, advance packaging to include heterogeneous integration, advanced interconnect technologies, electronic controls, solid state transmit/receive modules, digital receiver exciters, digital beamforming electronics, DC to DC converters, microwave tubes, other radio frequency and optoelectronics technologies. Microelectronics technology test and evaluation areas of interests include but are not limited to model and simulation at the board, component, and circuit level, as well as operational environments to include radiation, cyber, electronic warfare across all identified microelectronics technologies. Additionally, solutions in development and demonstration of tools, techniques, and technologies for evaluation of microelectronics devices to support the confidentiality and integrity objectives of the DoD are desired.

• 6. Sensors and Surveillance Systems

  Basic research; applied research; advanced technology development; and advanced component development and prototypes that facilitate the maturation of Sensors and Surveillance System technologies and manufacturing capabilities. Sensors and Surveillance Systems include multi-domain sensors and systems supporting Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); Counter-Uncrewed Systems (C-UxS); Radar; Electromagnetic Warfare (EW); Signals Intelligence (SIGINT); Electronic Intelligence (ELINT), Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT), and Communications missions and activities. Solutions of interest target improvements to sensor size, weight, power, cost, and/or performance. Research and development areas of interest to demonstrate include innovations associated with metamaterials, microelectronics, 2.5- and 3-Dimensional packaging, advanced sensor architectures, power systems, thermal management solutions, mechanical technologies, networking solutions, processing systems, modeling and simulation capabilities, sensor fusion, and algorithms.

• 7. Hypersonic Weapon Systems (HWS)

  Research and development of technologies that support the development, integration, test and evaluation of HWS to include aerodynamics, aerothermal prediction and analysis, guidance, navigation and control, high temperature materials, thermal management, sensors and supporting algorithms. Any approach including materials and manufacturing processes that improve HWS performance, lethality, survivability, lowers costs or improves HWS and HWS component manufacturability (cost and capacity) is strongly desired. Innovative approaches and prototypes that lower the cost or increase the cadence of HWS testing and evaluation are also strongly desired. M&S of HWS components, subsystems and systems at all M&S levels (Engineering, Engagement, Mission and Campaign). Power and Energy solutions for HWS that reduce Size, Weight and Power (SWAP), improve power density or lower costs are welcome. Solutions that enhance microelectronics and HWS component, subsystem and system reliability and survivability in natural and prompt radiation environments are desired.

• 8. Power and Energy Systems

  Research, development, prototyping, test and evaluation, materials analysis, safety analysis, modeling, digital engineering, data analytics, data management, specification development, and production and demonstration of advanced battery technologies, advanced high energy density storage systems, high power energy storage systems, hybrid and all-electric propulsion systems, energy transfer systems, alternative and renewable energy systems, and battery management systems. Applications include space, airborne, missile, surface, land, undersea, manned, and unmanned platforms, hybrid and all-electric vehicles, human portable energy storage systems, and portable energy storage and energy conversion systems. Desired outcomes are as follows: (1) Improvements in battery power density in support of directed energy systems. (2) Improvements in battery energy density in support of extended mission endurance for space, airborne, missile, surface, land, undersea, manned, and unmanned applications. (3) Improvements in battery cycle life in support of aerospace applications and austere mission environments. (4) Enable integration onto high value surface, air, and undersea platforms by mitigating safety risks associated with lithium chemistry batteries. This includes advancements in battery casualty containment and early failure detection. This also includes advancements of battery technologies utilizing nonflammable electrolyte and solid-state electrolyte batteries. (5) Improvements of lithium chemistry battery performance in extreme cold weather environments. (6) Improvements in power management and distribution systems efficiency. (7) Improvements of solar array technology efficiency to support expeditionary mission sets. (8) Supply chain risk mitigations associated with power and energy technologies. This includes advancement of technologies, methodologies, and materials that increase availability of domestic raw materials, address obsolescence issues, enable processing of raw materials, and reduce dependence of rare earth metals. This also includes development and advancement of batteries and electric motors that utilize alternative materials. (9) Development of cost effective and supportable high voltage and high-power battery test systems.

• 9. Electro-optic and Infrared Technologies

  The objective of the Electro-Optic and Infrared (EO/IR) is to develop high-performance, low-cost, next generation EO/IR sensors, devices and autonomous processing to provide real-time detection, tracking, classification, and identification of air, sea-surface, and ground targets in all weather conditions. The primary interest is for systems working in the visible and infrared (near, short-wave, mid-wave, and long-wave) regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is typically considered to be 0.4 um to 15 um in wavelength. Beyond imaging and detection, this area also includes supported EO/IR technologies and sub-systems such as optics, software, targeting and tracking, sensor protection, visual augmentation systems (VAS), laser pointers, free space optics (FSO), laser markers, and laser designators. Approaches and technologies that offer improvements or improved understanding in of these areas is of interest. Additionally, innovative approaches, prototypes, and tools that benefit modeling and simulation (M&S), test and evaluation (T&E), systems installation, logistics, or other approaches that reduced cost or benefit to the management of the entire EO/IR lifecycle are of interest.

• 10. Force Level EW Mission Analysis, Advanced Concepts and Technologies

  Research and development of technologies and capabilities that support development, integration, modeling and simulation, test and evaluation of distributed and integrated electromagnetic warfare mission capabilities to support joint and naval kinetic and non-kinetic operations delivering lethal and non-lethal effects in the air, surface, ground, space and cyber domains of the electromagnetic spectrum. Seeking innovative approaches to provide a comprehensive modeling and simulation and analytical foundation to represent non-kinetic effects and complex electromagnetic environments for evaluation at the engineering, engagement, mission and campaign levels of modeling to facilitate rapid evaluation of current and emerging electromagnetic systems and system of systems capabilities. Seeking novel model-based systems engineering approaches, non-kinetic models, and visualization of non-kinetic effects in a modeling and simulation environment. Solutions and prototypes that are focused on advancing radio frequency enabled cyber, hardware agnostic electromagnetic spectrum capabilities, advanced electromagnetic sensors and systems, decision-making aids, many on many threat simulators, and advanced countermeasures are welcome. Innovative approaches and prototypes that benefit modeling and simulation, test and evaluation, and development and evaluation of integrated and distributed system of systems capabilities to help reduce cost and enable rapid analysis and evaluation are of interest.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Potential benefits include:

• Opportunity to receive funding through multiple award mechanisms depending on project needs.

• Ability to submit proposals on a rolling basis.

• Opportunity for follow-on work where appropriate under applicable contracting authorities.

• Access to collaboration with NSWC Crane technical subject matter experts throughout project execution when appropriate for the selected award instrument.

The solicitation also notes that awardees may be eligible to use Department of Defense High Performance Computing Program resources with appropriate approvals.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Key dates include:

• Abstracts: Accepted on a rolling basis.

• Proposals: Accepted on a rolling basis.

• Response deadline: July 7, 2027, at 4:00 PM EDT.

• Project start dates are unique to each individual award.

The solicitation does not specify how long proposal evaluations or award negotiations will take before funding is issued.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is provided by:

Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division (NSWC Crane)

within the

U.S. Department of the Navy

The BAA supports research across funding categories 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, and 6.4 and is intended to advance technologies supporting U.S. Navy, Department of Defense, and broader national security missions.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include:

Businesses of any size

Startups

Small businesses

Large businesses

Universities

University Affiliated Research Centers (unless prohibited by their UARC agreements)

Nonprofit research organizations

Other responsible research organizations

Teams and consortia

The BAA also encourages participation from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Institutions (MIs), although no funding is specifically set aside for these organizations.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation states that the following organizations are not eligible to receive awards directly:

• Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs), although they may participate through eligible teaming arrangements where permitted.

• Department of Defense laboratories.

• Navy laboratories.

• Military universities.

• Warfare centers.

• Other federal civilian agency laboratories.

Additional eligibility restrictions may apply depending on the selected award instrument.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

NSWC Crane evaluates proposals using three equally weighted criteria:

• Overall scientific and technical merit.

• Potential military relevance and contribution to NSWC Crane and Department of the Navy missions.

• Availability of funding.

Strong proposals will generally demonstrate:

• Innovative technical approaches.

• Clear understanding of the state of the art.

• Qualified technical personnel.

• Strong technical capabilities and facilities.

• Meaningful relevance to one or more NSWC Crane technical capability areas.

• Potential impact on national security missions.

The solicitation also notes that proposals supporting multiple technical capability areas are highly desired, although not required.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

This opportunity is expected to be highly competitive.

The solicitation:

• Accepts proposals from all responsible sources.

• Anticipates multiple awards.

• Does not reserve funding for any specific business category.

• Evaluates proposals solely on technical merit, military relevance, and funding availability.

Because the BAA remains open for an extended period and accepts rolling submissions, organizations are competing against a continually evolving pool of innovative technologies rather than against a single submission deadline. The solicitation does not specify anticipated success rates or award percentages.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Applicants should be aware that:

• Proposal preparation costs are not reimbursed.

• Award amounts are not guaranteed.

• NSWC Crane may fund all, some, or none of the proposals received.

• Applicants must maintain an active SAM registration before award.

• Export control requirements may apply.

• Classified proposals are permitted under specified submission procedures, but resulting awards may remain unclassified depending on the effort.

• Cost sharing is generally not required and is not evaluated, although voluntary cost sharing may be considered.

• Certain award types prohibit profit or fee.

• Intellectual property, security, reporting, and other compliance requirements vary depending on the award instrument selected.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify the expected preparation time.

However, applicants should plan sufficient time to:

• Engage the appropriate NSWC Crane technical point of contact when appropriate.

• Develop either a white paper or full proposal.

• Prepare technical and cost information.

• Complete required registrations (including SAM if not already active).

• Assemble any required compliance documentation associated with the proposed award instrument.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO helps defense technology companies maximize their chances of success by:

• Determining whether your technology aligns with one or more NSWC Crane technical capability areas.

• Positioning your innovation around the evaluation criteria used by NSWC Crane.

• Developing compelling white papers and full proposals.

• Preparing compliant technical, management, and budget documentation.

• Managing proposal development from kickoff through submission.

• Supporting commercialization and follow-on defense funding strategy.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Innovative Concept Award Program – Fiscal Year 2027

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is seeking innovative technologies that address important problems in cancer research, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, or survivorship through its FY27 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Innovative Concept Phase I Award Program.

This solicitation is designed to fund early-stage research and development projects that are responsive to one of the technical topic areas identified in the solicitation and have the potential for commercialization. Successful applicants must demonstrate that their proposed technology is innovative, technically sound, responsive to the selected topic, and capable of advancing toward a commercial product or service.

Applications must be received before 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on September 21, 2026. White papers will not be accepted under this solicitation. Questions should be submitted by August 1, 2026 via email to the address listed in the solicitation.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify a single award amount because funding varies by topic.

Each topic within the solicitation identifies its own:

• Maximum Phase I budget

• Period of performance

• Any topic-specific funding limitations

Applicants should refer to the individual topic description applicable to their proposed technology.

The solicitation does not guarantee that all proposals meeting the evaluation criteria will receive funding. All proposals are evaluated competitively, and the NCI is under no obligation to fund any proposal.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding supports research and development that is responsive to one of the technical topics included in the solicitation.

Projects should:

• Address an important scientific or engineering problem

• Present an innovative technical approach

• Demonstrate commercialization potential

• Align directly with the objectives of the selected topic

The proposal should provide sufficient information to demonstrate that:

• The technical approach has a reasonable chance of meeting the topic objective.

• The approach is innovative rather than routine.

• The company has—or can obtain—the personnel and equipment necessary to successfully perform the work.

The solicitation also specifies that:

• At least two-thirds of the research effort must be performed by the awardee.

• Research and development work must be performed in the United States by the small business and its subcontractors, except where approved deviations are granted under rare circumstances.

Base SBIR funding cannot be used for market research intended to develop a new or expanded statement of work, although literature searches involving commercial database products are allowable.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

In addition to potential funding, selected performers may receive several forms of Government support during the program.

Government technical support

DARPA anticipates support from:

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

• NIST's Precision Photonic Synthesis Group within the Time and Frequency Division

The Government expects to provide information, analysis, and support related to vibration-hardened optical reference cavities and photonic microwave generation techniques.

Government-furnished information

By Month 6, DARPA anticipates providing performers with:

• A Government reference design for a vibration-hardened chip-scale optical reference cavity

• Associated design details

• Test data

Government-furnished testing

At the end of Phase 2:

• Final noise-performance testing will occur at a Government test facility.

• Testing will use a Government-furnished airborne platform.

• The Government will coordinate and execute the testing.

• The Government will collect and post-process test data.

Potential follow-on opportunities

The solicitation states that:

• Follow-on production contracts or transactions may be awarded pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 4022.

• During the transition between Phase 1 and Phase 2, DARPA intends to finalize technology application areas and notes there is potential for additional work based on architectural designs developed during Phase 1.

The solicitation does not guarantee any follow-on funding or production awards.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond Phase I funding, the solicitation highlights several additional benefits available to awardees.

These include:

• Participation in the NIH SBIR program

• Access to the NIH I-Corps™ program, which supports commercialization activities

• Opportunities for specialized supplemental funding related to commercialization through Technical and Business Assistance programs, where applicable

• Eligibility to compete for future Phase II funding if Phase I milestones are successfully achieved

The solicitation references I-Corps™ at NIH and Technical and Business Assistance as resources available to support commercialization efforts.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

The solicitation establishes the following timeline:

• Questions due: August 1, 2026

• Proposal deadline: Before 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time on September 21, 2026

Proposals must be submitted electronically through the electronic Contract Proposal Submission (eCPS) website.

White papers will not be requested or accepted.

The solicitation does not specify when award decisions will be announced or when funding will be issued.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from the:

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

within the

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

under the

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Innovative Concept Phase I Award Program

The solicitation is issued by the Office of Acquisition and Logistics Management, National Institutes of Health.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must qualify as a Small Business Concern (SBC) in accordance with SBA regulations at the time of award and at any other required certification point.

The solicitation specifies that applicants must:

• Qualify as a Small Business Concern under SBA regulations.

• Certify eligibility on the proposal cover sheet.

• Submit additional certification regarding size and ownership at award.

• Perform at least two-thirds of the research effort.

• Perform all research and development work in the United States unless an approved exception applies.

• Have a Principal Investigator whose primary employment is with the small business (more than 50% employment).

• Submit proposals responsive to one of the solicitation's technical topics.

The solicitation also states that the following may apply:

• Joint ventures and limited partnerships are eligible if each participating entity qualifies as a small business.

• Companies majority owned by multiple venture capital operating companies (VCOCs), hedge funds, or private equity firms are eligible but must submit the required VCOC certification with their pricing proposal.

The Department of Health and Human Services also limits each Small Business Concern (including affiliates) to nine new, renewal, resubmission, or revision SBIR/STTR submissions per fiscal year across all HHS SBIR/STTR activity codes.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation identifies several situations that would make a company ineligible or otherwise noncompliant.

These include companies that:

• Do not qualify as a Small Business Concern.

• Fail SBA size or ownership requirements.

• Do not have a Principal Investigator primarily employed by the company.

• Do not perform the required minimum percentage of research effort.

• Perform research outside the United States without approved authorization.

• Exceed the HHS annual submission limit.

• Fail applicable SBIR commercialization performance benchmarks when those benchmarks apply.

• Fail to submit required certifications, including the VCOC certification where applicable.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

According to the solicitation, competitive proposals are those that:

• Present an innovative approach.

• Address an important scientific or engineering problem.

• Are responsive to the selected topic.

• Demonstrate a reasonable likelihood of technical success.

• Show clear commercialization potential.

• Demonstrate that the company possesses or can obtain the expertise, personnel, and equipment needed to perform the work.

During review, proposals are evaluated for scientific and technical merit by peer reviewers knowledgeable in the relevant disciplines. The Government may also employ a multi-stage peer review process due to high proposal volume.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

This solicitation is expected to be highly competitive.

The solicitation states that:

• All proposals are evaluated on a competitive basis.

• Each proposal is judged on its own merit.

• The National Cancer Institute is under no obligation to fund any proposal.

• Scientific and technical peer review is conducted by experts, primarily from outside the Federal Government.

• Review panels provide ratings and recommendations that inform award decisions.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Yes.

The solicitation includes numerous restrictions and compliance requirements, including:

• Market research is generally not allowable under base SBIR funding.

• Research must be performed in the United States unless approved otherwise.

• Contract funds may not be used for promotional items.

• Contract funds generally may not be used for conferences or food without prior approval.

• Funds may not be used for abortion or human embryo research prohibited under federal law.

• Funds may not be used for lobbying activities.

• Funds may not be used for dissemination of deliberately false or misleading information.

• Funds may not be used to promote gun control.

• Funds may not be used for needle exchange programs.

• Contractors must comply with E-Verify requirements.

• Contractors must comply with anti-kickback, patent reporting, equal opportunity, and other federal contract requirements.

Additionally, applicants must include the required Appendix J – Required Disclosures of Foreign Affiliations or Relationships to Foreign Countries with their business proposal.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify the expected preparation time.

However, applicants should plan for substantial preparation because the solicitation requires:

• Technical proposal

• Pricing proposal

• Required certifications

• Registration requirements

• Foreign disclosure documentation

• Compliance with proposal formatting and submission instructions

• Electronic submission through eCPS

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can help by:

• Assessing whether your technology aligns with the appropriate NCI topic.

• Developing a commercialization-focused proposal strategy.

• Writing and editing the technical proposal.

• Preparing required business and pricing documentation.

• Reviewing eligibility, certifications, and compliance requirements.

• Managing proposal development to ensure submission before the September 21, 2026, before 5:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time deadline.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

FA9453-21-S-0001-Call016 - Space Strategic Technology Institute (SSTI) - Space Cyber-Cognitive Overmatch (SCCO)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The U.S. Space Force, through the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), is seeking university-led teams to establish a Space Strategic Technology Institute (SSTI) focused on Space Cyber-Cognitive Overmatch (SCCO). This funding opportunity supports transformational research intended to produce disruptive technologies that improve the cyber resilience, autonomy, and operational effectiveness of future U.S. space capabilities.

White Papers are due no later than (NLT) 13 August 2026, 1100 Mountain Daylight Saving Time (MDT). Only offerors whose white papers are selected will be invited to submit a full proposal. The proposal deadline has not yet been specified and will be provided in Requests for Proposals (RFPs) issued to selected teams.

Unlike many traditional research programs that emphasize incremental advances, this solicitation specifically seeks technologies capable of fundamentally changing how military space systems detect threats, defend themselves, collaborate with human operators, and operate in contested environments. The Government is particularly interested in research that progresses beyond theoretical concepts toward testbeds, demonstrations, prototypes, high-fidelity modeling, and technologies capable of transitioning into government programs or industry applications.

The lead applicant must be a university that manages a consortium consisting of at least three universities, including itself. The lead institution will receive the award and distribute funding to collaborating institutions through subawards. The solicitation requires that at least 50% of awarded funds be allocated to supporting institutions. Additional collaborations with industry, nonprofit organizations, small businesses, and other eligible organizations are encouraged.

The Government anticipates providing up to $25 million in total Federal funding under this CALL. Individual awards may vary in value but are expected not to exceed $25 million and may last for up to 60 months, subject to available funding and successful Go/No-Go performance reviews throughout the project.

Projects should address one or more aspects of cyber resilience, artificial intelligence, distributed computing, quantum technologies, cognitive electronic warfare, human-machine teaming, digital engineering, or related capabilities that improve U.S. military space operations. The technical areas listed in the solicitation are intended as guidance rather than limitations, and applicants may propose additional technologies that support Department of Defense needs while increasing technology maturity and commercialization readiness.

Because this is a two-step competitive process, organizations interested in participating should begin assembling university partnerships, defining research objectives, identifying transition pathways, and preparing their white papers well before the 13 August 2026, 1100 Mountain Daylight Saving Time (MDT) submission deadline.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation states:

• The Government anticipates $25,000,000 in total Federal funding under this CALL.

• Individual awards may vary depending on the proposed effort.

• Estimated individual award values are not to exceed $25,000,000, although the Government reserves the right to modify, reduce, or exceed this amount if necessary.

• The Government reserves the right to fund all, some, or none of the proposals received.

• Funding remains subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

Awards are expected to support projects lasting up to 60 months, consisting of multiple budget periods.

Continuation funding is contingent upon:

• satisfactory technical performance,

• schedule adherence,

• milestone completion,

• reporting compliance,

• Go/No-Go decision reviews, and

• continued availability of Federal funding.

What could I use the funding for?

The solicitation supports research intended to create transformative capabilities for future military space operations rather than incremental improvements.

The Government states that successful projects should advance technologies capable of transitioning beyond laboratory research into operational government programs or commercial applications. Highly desired outcomes include:

• Testbeds

• High-fidelity modeling and simulation

• Demonstrations

• Prototypes

• Increased technology readiness over the period of performance

The Statement of Objectives identifies numerous technical focus areas, including:

Threat sensing, detection, and adaptive response

Projects may include:

• Advanced cyber sensing

• Threat detection metrics

• Trusted telemetry

• Data authentication

• Data provenance

• Fraud and spoofing detection

• Vulnerability mitigation

• AI-driven autonomous response

• Real-time cyber remediation across space, ground, and communications segments.

Cyber hardening and supply chain security

Examples include:

• Zero-trust architectures

• Secure satellite flight software

• Cyber-hardened satellite architectures

• Hardware and software supply chain security

• Software isolation

• Red teaming

• Quantifiable cyber-hardening metrics.

Artificial intelligence, autonomy, and cognitive execution

Potential projects include:

• Autonomous mission planning

• Dynamic satellite operations

• AI-enabled decision making

• Edge data processing

• Knowledge extraction

• AI model resilience

• Protection against adversarial AI attacks.

Human-machine teaming

Research may address:

• Advanced operator interfaces

• Decision-support systems

• Cognitive workload reduction

• Human trust in autonomous systems

• Consequence modeling for automated decision-making.

Distributed computing and quantum technologies

Examples include:

• Space-based data centers

• Cloud, fog, and edge computing

• Distributed computing architectures

• Quantum information systems

• Quantum sensing

• Post-quantum cryptography

• Quantum-secure communications.

Cognitive electronic warfare

The solicitation also encourages research involving:

• Adaptive electronic warfare

• Electromagnetic spectrum operations

• Combined cyber-electronic warfare resilience

• Space-enabled cyber effects

• Reconfigurable RF spectrum technologies.

Digital engineering and testing

Potential activities include:

• Flexible cyber testbeds

• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

• System-of-systems integration

• High-fidelity disruption modeling

• Uncertainty quantification

• Developmental and operational testing environments.

The Government also explicitly allows applicants to propose additional technologies beyond the listed examples if they strengthen DoD research and development, improve technology maturity, support technology transition, or increase commercialization readiness while meeting Department of Defense needs.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

In addition to potential funding, selected performers may receive several forms of Government support during the program.

Government technical support

DARPA anticipates support from:

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

• NIST's Precision Photonic Synthesis Group within the Time and Frequency Division

The Government expects to provide information, analysis, and support related to vibration-hardened optical reference cavities and photonic microwave generation techniques.

Government-furnished information

By Month 6, DARPA anticipates providing performers with:

• A Government reference design for a vibration-hardened chip-scale optical reference cavity

• Associated design details

• Test data

Government-furnished testing

At the end of Phase 2:

• Final noise-performance testing will occur at a Government test facility.

• Testing will use a Government-furnished airborne platform.

• The Government will coordinate and execute the testing.

• The Government will collect and post-process test data.

Potential follow-on opportunities

The solicitation states that:

• Follow-on production contracts or transactions may be awarded pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 4022.

• During the transition between Phase 1 and Phase 2, DARPA intends to finalize technology application areas and notes there is potential for additional work based on architectural designs developed during Phase 1.

The solicitation does not guarantee any follow-on funding or production awards.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond funding, the solicitation is designed to establish a long-term research ecosystem centered on transformational space technologies.

The Space Strategic Technology Institute (SSTI) model is intended to create enduring university partnerships focused on solving critical U.S. Space Force science and technology challenges. Rather than funding isolated research projects, the Government is investing in multidisciplinary research teams capable of developing technologies that transition into operational military capabilities.

Potential benefits identified in the solicitation include:

• Participation in a university-led Space Strategic Technology Institute.

• Opportunities to collaborate with multiple universities under a single research program.

• Collaboration with industry partners.

• Development of testbeds, demonstrations, prototypes, and high-fidelity modeling capabilities.

• Advancement of technologies to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) throughout the period of performance.

• Opportunities for future technology transition into U.S. Space Force and other U.S. Government programs.

The Statement of Objectives also notes that, in later phases, the research ecosystem may expand to include additional:

• universities,

• industry leaders,

• international allies, and

• U.S. Government organizations including AFRL, DARPA, and other DoD laboratories.

The solicitation explains that these organizations may provide operational context, transition pathways, and end-user requirements that help mature successful technologies.

The Government also notes that continuation funding will be based on performance reviews and successful progression toward technology transition rather than simply completing research activities.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

This is a two-step solicitation.

Step 1 – White Paper

White Papers are due no later than (NLT) 13 August 2026, 1100 Mountain Daylight Saving Time (MDT). White Papers received after this deadline will not be accepted.

Offerors must submit:

• a White Paper,

• a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate, and

• all required supporting information using the prescribed template.

Organizations cannot submit a full proposal without first submitting a White Paper.

Step 2 – Full Proposal

Only offerors whose White Papers are selected will receive a Request for Proposal (RFP).

The solicitation states that the:

Proposal Due Date and Time – To be provided in "Requests for Proposals (RFP)" sent to offerors whose white papers are selected.

Questions

Written questions are due:

10 July 2026

The Government states that questions submitted after this date may not allow sufficient time for responses.

Webinar

A Questions and Answers webinar will be held on:

• 15 July 2026

• 0900 MDT

The Government encourages organizations interested in submitting White Papers to attend.

Award timing

The solicitation does not specify a fixed award date.

Instead, it states:

The anticipated award date will be determined through dialogue between prospective Offerors and Government representatives and specified in each individual award.

Period of Performance

Successful projects may run for:

• up to 57 months of technical effort,

• plus 3 months for the final report,

• for a total period of performance of 60 months.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is provided through the:

• Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate

• in partnership with the United States Space Force (USSF)

under:

• Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) FA9453-21-S-0001

• Space Technology Advanced Research – Fast-tracking Innovative Software and Hardware (STAR-FISH)

• CALL 016

• Topic Area 5 – Space Strategic Technology Institute (SSTI): Space Cyber-Cognitive Overmatch (SCCO)

The solicitation states that the purpose of this CALL is to support experimentation and research involving:

• spaceflight technologies,

• space-related signal technologies,

• energy technologies,

• transportation technologies,

with this particular CALL focused on transformational cyber and cognitive capabilities for military space operations.

Who is eligible to apply?

This solicitation is structured around university-led teams.

The lead offeror is expected to be:

• one university serving as the lead institution.

The lead university is expected to partner with:

• at least two additional universities, resulting in a minimum team of three universities.

The lead university receives the award directly and is responsible for managing the consortium and issuing subawards.

The solicitation requires that:

At least 50% of awarded funds are required to go to the supporting institutions.

Additional collaborators may include:

• universities,

• for-profit entities,

• nonprofit organizations,

• state governments,

• local governments,

• tribal governments,

• small businesses.

These organizations may participate as offerors or subrecipients, consistent with the consortium structure described in the solicitation.

Other eligibility requirements include:

• registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before award,

• compliance with applicable Federal cost principles,

• adherence to Gold Standard Science requirements,

• compliance with applicable export control requirements,

• submission of required White Papers before invitation to submit a proposal.

The solicitation also states:

• Cost sharing is not required.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation specifically excludes several categories of organizations.

These include:

• Large businesses as defined under NAICS 541715 (over 1,000 employees).

• Federal Government agencies.

• Foreign-owned organizations, which are not authorized to participate in this CALL in any capacity.

The solicitation also establishes restrictions regarding foreign nationals.

Unless an approved waiver is granted by the Contracting/Agreements Officer:

• non-U.S. citizens may not work within AFRL facilities,

• non-U.S. citizens may not access U.S. Government IT networks associated with the project.

The solicitation notes that permanent resident ("Green Card") status does not satisfy the U.S. citizenship requirement for these access purposes. Certain exceptions apply for approved international exchange personnel and dual U.S. citizens, as explicitly described in the solicitation.

Additionally:

• organizations that do not first submit a White Paper are not eligible to receive an award under this CALL.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The solicitation does not identify preferred companies or organizations. Instead, it describes the characteristics of proposals that are expected to be the most competitive.

Successful projects are likely to demonstrate a combination of technical innovation, transition potential, and practical applicability to U.S. Space Force missions.

According to the Statement of Objectives, competitive proposals should:

• Deliver transformative rather than incremental advances.

• Create technologies capable of fundamentally changing military space operations.

• Improve cyber resilience while maintaining mission performance.

• Optimize size, weight, and power (SWaP).

• Enable entirely new operational concepts.

• Demonstrate realistic pathways for transitioning technology beyond the laboratory into government programs or industry applications.

• Include testbeds, demonstrations, prototypes, or high-fidelity modeling whenever appropriate.

• Progress technologies to higher Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) during the period of performance.

The Government also encourages applicants to:

• Clearly define the current state of the art.

• Explain why the proposed approach is superior.

• Identify known limitations and risks.

• Describe how those risks will be mitigated.

• Incorporate horizon scanning and assessments of future adversarial threats.

• Build multidisciplinary teams spanning multiple technical and non-technical disciplines.

The technical areas identified by the Government include projects involving:

• Threat sensing and adaptive cyber response

• AI-enabled autonomous operations

• Cyber-hardening for space systems

• Zero-trust architectures

• Human-machine teaming

• Distributed computing

• Space-based data centers

• Quantum information systems

• Quantum-secure networking

• Cognitive electronic warfare

• Digital engineering

• Flexible cyber testbeds

• Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

• High-fidelity disruption modeling

The solicitation states that these areas are guidance rather than restrictions, and applicants may propose additional technologies that support Department of Defense needs while increasing technology maturity and commercialization readiness.

During evaluation, White Papers and proposals must also satisfy the Government's Go/No-Go screening criteria.

Among other things, the Government states that successful submissions should:

• Demonstrate implementation of Gold Standard Science.

• Produce immediately demonstrable results.

• Include meaningful milestones.

• Establish clear benchmarks for measuring success.

• Accelerate delivery of emerging technologies to the warfighter.

• Demonstrably advance the President's policy priorities.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation does not specify an expected number of White Paper submissions or an anticipated success rate.

However, several features indicate that this is expected to be a highly competitive opportunity.

First, the Government anticipates making one or more awards, while reserving the right to make one award, multiple awards, or no awards at all.

Second, participation requires a university-led consortium consisting of at least three universities, creating a higher organizational threshold than many standard research solicitations.

Third, the two-step process means that only White Papers selected by the Government will be invited to submit full proposals. Organizations that do not submit a White Paper are not eligible to receive an award.

The evaluation process also emphasizes:

• transformational research,

• technology transition,

• measurable progress,

• interdisciplinary collaboration,

• operational relevance,

• demonstration of immediate and longer-term impact,

• compliance with Gold Standard Science requirements.

For university teams with strong space cybersecurity, AI, autonomy, quantum, or digital engineering capabilities—and a clear transition strategy—this CALL provides a significant opportunity. At the same time, applicants should expect substantial competition given the size of the anticipated funding and the strategic importance of the research area.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Yes. The solicitation includes several important restrictions and administrative requirements.

Consortium structure

The lead offeror must be a university leading a team of at least three universities.

The lead institution is responsible for managing subawards, and at least 50% of awarded funds must be distributed to supporting institutions.

Two-step submission process

Applicants must submit a White Paper before they can be invited to submit a full proposal.

Organizations that do not submit a White Paper are not eligible for award consideration.

Foreign participation

Foreign-owned organizations are not authorized to participate in this CALL in any capacity.

Export control

The solicitation states that technologies supported under this CALL are subject to:

• International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and/or

• Export Administration Regulations (EAR).

Applicants proposing the use of foreign nationals must provide required disclosures, and additional Government review may be required.

Security

The effort is anticipated to be performed at the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) level.

Classified work is not anticipated at the beginning of the award, although security requirements may evolve during performance if approved by the Government.

Gold Standard Science

Applicants must commit to complying with the Government's Gold Standard Science requirements, including:

• reproducibility,

• transparency,

• communication of uncertainty,

• interdisciplinary collaboration,

• unbiased peer review,

• benchmarks for measuring success,

• adherence to applicable administration policies.

Cost sharing

Cost sharing or matching funds are not required.

Foreign travel

Foreign travel costs are not allowable unless approved by the Program Manager.

Construction

Major construction projects generally will not be funded without prior written authorization.

Funding availability

All awards remain contingent upon:

• availability of appropriated funds,

• successful performance,

• Go/No-Go reviews,

• continued Government priorities.How long will it take me to prepare an application?

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify how long applicants should expect to prepare either a White Paper or a full proposal.

However, prospective applicants should account for the time needed to:

• assemble a university consortium,

• identify collaborating institutions,

• develop a multidisciplinary research strategy,

• prepare a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate,

• complete the required White Paper template,

• request DoD SAFE upload access before the submission deadline,

• coordinate any required export control or foreign national documentation,

• ensure compliance with Gold Standard Science requirements.

Because White Papers are due no later than (NLT) 13 August 2026, 1100 Mountain Daylight Saving Time (MDT), interested teams should begin consortium formation and proposal development as early as possible.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can support university-led teams throughout the entire application process by helping organizations:

• Evaluate alignment with the solicitation objectives.

• Develop a competitive research strategy centered on technology transition.

• Position technical innovations against the current state of the art.

• Build compelling commercialization and transition narratives consistent with DoD expectations.

• Coordinate multidisciplinary university and industry partnerships.

• Prepare compliant White Papers and, if invited, full proposals.

• Develop project plans, milestones, budgets, and supporting documentation.

• Strengthen proposal messaging while ensuring alignment with the evaluation criteria and solicitation requirements.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

DARPA | RF Architectures Applying Photonic Timing and Routing (RAAPTR)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

Application Deadline: August 24, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

DARPA is seeking proposals for the Radiofrequency Architectures Applying Photonic Timing and Routing (RAAPTR) program to develop next-generation radiofrequency (RF) system architectures that use optical timing technologies to improve performance on compact mobile defense platforms. The program focuses on vibration-hardened photonic microwave oscillators, supporting analog and mixed-signal components, and RF system architectures that can maintain ultra-low phase noise and timing precision in demanding military environments.

DARPA anticipates investing $58,000,000 through three to five Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype Agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022. The program is structured as a 42-month effort consisting of a 24-month component development phase followed by an 18-month system integration and demonstration phase.

This opportunity is intended for organizations capable of developing breakthrough RF and photonic technologies rather than incremental improvements. DARPA specifically excludes research that advances non-optical methods of microwave generation or produces only evolutionary improvements to existing technologies.

Companies interested in applying should begin preparing immediately. Before submitting a full proposal, applicants must complete several required pre-proposal steps, including requesting the Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Addendum, submitting a required abstract, and providing a Notification of Intent to Propose.

Key dates include:

• CUI Addendum Request Deadline: July 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

• Required Abstract Due Date: July 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

• Notification of Intent to Propose: August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

• Question and Answer Deadline: August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

• Proposal Due Date: August 24, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

• Estimated Period of Performance Start: December 1, 2026.

How much funding would I receive?

DARPA anticipates providing:

• Total anticipated funding: $58,000,000

• Anticipated number of awards: Three to five individual awards

• Award instrument: Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype Agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022

The solicitation does not specify:

• Individual award sizes

• Minimum or maximum award amounts

• Expected funding by performer

• Funding allocations by technical area

Because DARPA expects only three to five awards across the full program budget, award values are expected to vary based on each selected proposal's scope of work and negotiated budget. The solicitation does not provide additional detail.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding is intended to support the development of RF system architectures that use an optical timing backbone to improve RF performance on compact mobile defense platforms.

DARPA is seeking work in several areas, including:

Develop vibration-hardened photonic microwave oscillators

Projects may focus on technologies capable of maintaining ultra-low phase noise and precise timing under challenging environmental conditions encountered by mobile military platforms.

Target component metrics include:

• Phase noise less than -120 dBc/Hz at 100 Hz offset

• Phase noise less than -150 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz offset

• Relative timing error less than 1 picosecond for 1–100 second intervals

• Oscillator volume less than 300 cc

Develop supporting RF components

Funding may support development of vibration-hardened ancillary analog and mixed-signal components needed to preserve optical timing performance throughout an RF system, including examples such as:

• RF mixers

• Amplifiers

• Digitizers

Design complete RF architectures

DARPA is seeking architectures that use optical technologies throughout the RF system rather than simply replacing an oscillator.

Potential capabilities include:

• Optical timing backbones

• Low-noise frequency synthesis

• Stable clock distribution

• Time and frequency synchronization

• High-bandwidth optical data transfer

• Digital signal processing architectures that exploit optical timing and data movement

Demonstrate defense-relevant use cases

Proposers are expected to identify defense applications for their architectures. The solicitation identifies examples including:

• Radar

• Signal direction finding

• Communications

• Electronic warfare (EW)

Build and demonstrate integrated prototypes

The program concludes with integration of developed technologies into a brassboard prototype for testing under relevant environmental conditions on a Government-furnished airborne platform.

DARPA states that proposals should pursue revolutionary advances rather than incremental improvements to current RF technologies. Research that advances non-optical microwave generation methods or produces only evolutionary improvements is specifically excluded.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

In addition to potential funding, selected performers may receive several forms of Government support during the program.

Government technical support

DARPA anticipates support from:

• Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)

• NIST's Precision Photonic Synthesis Group within the Time and Frequency Division

The Government expects to provide information, analysis, and support related to vibration-hardened optical reference cavities and photonic microwave generation techniques.

Government-furnished information

By Month 6, DARPA anticipates providing performers with:

• A Government reference design for a vibration-hardened chip-scale optical reference cavity

• Associated design details

• Test data

Government-furnished testing

At the end of Phase 2:

• Final noise-performance testing will occur at a Government test facility.

• Testing will use a Government-furnished airborne platform.

• The Government will coordinate and execute the testing.

• The Government will collect and post-process test data.

Potential follow-on opportunities

The solicitation states that:

• Follow-on production contracts or transactions may be awarded pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 4022.

• During the transition between Phase 1 and Phase 2, DARPA intends to finalize technology application areas and notes there is potential for additional work based on architectural designs developed during Phase 1.

The solicitation does not guarantee any follow-on funding or production awards.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Key dates include:

• CUI Addendum Request Deadline: July 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

• Required Abstract Due Date: July 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

• Notification of Intent to Propose: August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

• Question and Answer Deadline: August 7, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.

• Proposal Due Date: August 24, 2026, at 1:00 p.m.

• Estimated Period of Performance Start: December 1, 2026.

The solicitation states that the RAAPTR program is planned as a 42-month effort, consisting of:

Phase 1 (24 months)

• Component development

• RF architecture design

• Breadboard prototype development

• Environmental testing

Phase 2 (18 months)

• Brassboard integration

• Environmental testing

• Flight testing on a Government-furnished airborne platform

The solicitation does not specify exactly when individual award agreements will be executed or when awardees will receive funding. It states only that the Estimated Period of Performance Start is December 1, 2026.

Proposal Deadline: August 24, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Where does this funding come from?

This funding opportunity is offered by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) through the Multi X Office (MXO).

The program is titled Radiofrequency Architectures Applying Photonic Timing and Routing (RAAPTR) and is intended to advance radiofrequency (RF) system architectures that employ optical timing technologies for defense applications.

DARPA plans to award funding through Other Transaction (OT) for Prototype Agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022.

According to the solicitation, the program is intended to support technologies that contribute to DARPA's mission of making "pivotal early technology investments that create or prevent technological surprise." Proposed efforts are evaluated in part on their potential contribution to the national security technology base.

Who is eligible to apply?

DARPA states that all responsible sources capable of satisfying the Government's needs may submit proposals.

Eligible applicants include:

• U.S. organizations

• Non-U.S. organizations

• U.S. and non-U.S. individuals, provided they comply with applicable security regulations, export control laws, nondisclosure agreements, and other governing statutes

• Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

• Small Businesses

• Small Disadvantaged Businesses

• Minority Institutions

Foreign participants must comply with:

• International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), if applicable

• Export Administration Regulations (EAR), if applicable

To be eligible for consideration, organizations must also satisfy several solicitation-specific requirements.

Applicants must:

• Request and receive the RAAPTR Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) Addendum using the procedures described in the solicitation.

• Submit a timely, compliant required abstract.

• Submit a proposal under the same organization identified by a unique CAGE code.

• Meet the required Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 (Self-Assessment) requirements before award eligibility.

• Submit proposals through DARPA's Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT).

Submission of the required abstract is mandatory. The solicitation states that only organizations that submit a timely, compliant abstract will be eligible to submit a full proposal.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The solicitation identifies several organizations and situations that are not eligible.

Organizations that are not eligible

The following organizations are not eligible to propose:

• Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs)

• University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs)

• Government Entities, including National Laboratories

Organizations that will not be considered

DARPA states that proposals will not be considered if the organization:

• Did not request and receive the RAAPTR CUI Addendum.

• Did not submit a timely, compliant required abstract.

• Does not meet the required CMMC Level 2 eligibility requirements before award.

• Submits through a different CAGE code than the one authorized for the CUI Addendum.

Contractor conflicts

DARPA also states that contractors or performers are prohibited from concurrently:

• Providing Systems Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA),

• Providing Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS), or

• Providing similar support services to DARPA,

while also serving as a technical performer on the program, unless a written waiver is granted by the DARPA Deputy Director.

The solicitation does not identify any additional eligibility exclusions.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

DARPA evaluates proposals using three criteria, listed in descending order of importance:

1. Overall Scientific and Technical Merit

2. Potential Contribution and Relevance to the DARPA Mission

3. Budget and Price

Based on these evaluation criteria, the strongest proposals are likely to:

Offer innovative technical approaches

DARPA states the proposed approach should be:

• Innovative

• Feasible

• Achievable

• Complete

Address the full technical challenge

Competitive projects will present a logical technical plan with clearly defined tasks, deliverables, milestones, and risk mitigation strategies.

Demonstrate strong technical teams

DARPA expects teams to possess the expertise and experience needed to complete the proposed work and to have clearly defined management structures, responsibilities, communication pathways, and decision-making authority.

Support DARPA's mission

Projects should demonstrate how they strengthen the national security technology base and create capabilities relevant to future defense systems.

Enable technology transition

DARPA will evaluate whether proposed intellectual property restrictions could significantly affect the Government's ability to transition the resulting technology.

Present realistic budgets

Budgets should:

• Reflect the proposed technical approach.

• Demonstrate an appropriate level of effort.

• Align milestone payments with the solicitation's milestone schedule.

For projects with commercial application, the solicitation states that appropriate direct cost sharing may be a positive factor in the evaluation.

The solicitation also states that DARPA is seeking revolutionary advances in photonic RF technologies and specifically excludes research that advances non-optical microwave generation methods or results only in evolutionary improvements to the current state of practice.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation does not specify an expected number of proposals or anticipated success rate.

However, several factors indicate that this opportunity is likely to be highly competitive.

DARPA anticipates:

• $58,000,000 in total funding.

• Three to five individual awards.

The program also includes multiple mandatory pre-proposal requirements, including:

• Requesting the RAAPTR CUI Addendum.

• Submitting a required abstract.

• Submitting a Notification of Intent to Propose.

• Participating in oral presentations if invited.

Additionally, proposals are evaluated on scientific merit, relevance to DARPA's mission, and budget, with technical merit receiving the greatest weight.

The solicitation also requires applicants to demonstrate capabilities across multiple disciplines, including photonic technologies, RF systems, analog and mixed-signal components, digital architectures, system integration, environmental hardening, and platform demonstration.

The solicitation does not provide historical award rates, anticipated proposal volume, or estimated funding rate.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Yes. This solicitation includes several technical, security, submission, and eligibility requirements that applicants should understand before investing time in preparing a proposal.

Certain research is specifically excluded

DARPA states that the following work is not responsive to this solicitation:

• Research that advances non-optical methods of microwave generation

• Research that results in evolutionary improvements to the existing state of practice

The program is intended to support revolutionary advances in photonic RF technologies.

Submission of an abstract is mandatory

Organizations must submit a timely, compliant abstract to be eligible to submit a full proposal.

The required abstract is due:

July 13, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Organizations that do not submit a compliant abstract will not be considered.

Organizations must receive the RAAPTR CUI Addendum

Only organizations that:

• Request the RAAPTR CUI Addendum, and

• Are provided access to it

may submit proposals.

The CUI Addendum request deadline is:

July 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time).

Organizations that do not receive the CUI Addendum will not be considered.

CMMC requirements apply

The required cybersecurity level is:

CMMC Level 2 (Self-Assessment) – Broad Protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

To be eligible for award, the proposer's CAGE code must have:

• A valid, unexpired Final Level 2 CMMC status recorded in SPRS.

• A current annual CMMC affirmation recorded in SPRS.

Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI)

The program operates under Controlled Unclassified Information requirements.

Applicants handling CUI must comply with:

• DoD Instruction 5200.48

• NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2

The solicitation also notes that portions of the program may involve classified information, although classified proposals are not required.

AI disclosure requirement

DARPA asks proposers to disclose whether artificial intelligence tools were used to prepare Volume 1 of the proposal.

If AI tools were used:

• The proposal must identify the tools used.

• AI-generated or AI-assisted technical content must include citations describing the tool, the content, and the purpose.

The solicitation states that this information will not be used for evaluation purposes.

Proposal submission restrictions

Applicants must:

• Submit proposals through the DARPA Broad Agency Announcement Tool (BAAT).

• Submit before the deadline.

• Email submissions will not be accepted.

• Late submissions will not be accepted.

DARPA encourages applicants to submit at least 48 hours before the deadline.

Other restrictions

Additional restrictions include:

• Pre-recorded oral presentations are not permitted.

• Contractors performing SETA, Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS), or similar support services to DARPA may not simultaneously serve as technical performers without a written waiver.

• Some awards may include publication restrictions depending on whether the research is determined to be fundamental or non-fundamental research.

• The Government requires no less than Government Purpose Rights (GPR) to data developed under the program. Proposers must identify any pre-existing intellectual property restrictions that could affect technology transition.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Applicants should plan for a substantial proposal preparation effort.

The solicitation requires several activities before a full proposal can be submitted, including:

• Requesting access to the RAAPTR CUI Addendum.

• Preparing and submitting a required abstract.

• Submitting a Notification of Intent to Propose.

• Preparing a full technical proposal using multiple required templates and attachments.

• Preparing pricing documentation.

• Completing milestone schedules.

• Preparing for a potential oral presentation.

The solicitation also requires applicants to submit:

• Proposal Summary Slide

• Technical and Management Volume

• Price Volume

• DARPA Price Summary Spreadsheet

• Other Transaction Certification

• Task Description Document

• Schedule of Milestones and Payments

Organizations must also satisfy applicable cybersecurity, CUI handling, and security screening requirements.

Because of these requirements, along with the technical complexity of the RAAPTR program, applicants should allow significant time to coordinate technical contributors, subcontractors, budgets, compliance documentation, and proposal development.

The solicitation does not specify how long proposal preparation is expected to take.

How can BW&CO help?

Applying to DARPA programs requires more than writing a compelling technical narrative. Successful proposals also require a compliant submission, a clear commercialization and transition strategy where applicable, disciplined program management, and careful coordination across technical teams.

BW&CO can support applicants by:

• Determining whether the RAAPTR program aligns with your technology and business objectives.

• Developing a compliant proposal package aligned with DARPA's solicitation requirements.

• Coordinating technical writing across multiple contributors.

• Preparing milestone-based project plans and budgets.

• Reviewing proposal compliance before submission.

• Helping position your technical approach around the evaluation criteria described in the solicitation.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

Zero Trust Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Roadmap AOI 26-A006

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic Rapid Capabilities Office is seeking commercial technologies that can help the Department of the Navy automate its transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC). This effort focuses on discovering, inventorying, and continuously monitoring cryptographic assets across Navy and Marine Corps networks to generate automated Cryptographic Bills of Materials (CBOMs) that support enterprise-wide risk management and PQC migration.

This is an Other Transaction Authority (OTA) prototype opportunity intended for commercial technologies that can rapidly deploy, integrate across enterprise and tactical environments, and demonstrate mature capabilities. Companies selected for Phase 2 will participate in a live demonstration of their technology.

Solution Briefs must be submitted via the Vulcan platform no later than 2359 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) 07 July 2026. Late submissions will not be considered.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify the prototype award amount, award range, or anticipated contract value. These initial contracts typically range from $500,000 to about $5 million.

What could I use the funding for?

The prototype is intended to develop and demonstrate an automated solution capable of:

• Discovering cryptographic algorithms, protocols, certificates, key lengths, and implementations across Department of the Navy environments.

• Supporting enterprise IT, cloud, mobile systems, operational technology (OT), and tactical or embedded platforms.

• Generating machine-readable Cryptographic Bills of Materials (CBOMs).

• Continuously monitoring cryptographic assets for changes.

• Supporting PQC migration planning, vulnerability assessments, and centralized risk reporting.

• Integrating with Navy authoritative data repositories.

• Operating across secure cloud environments and disconnected, intermittently connected, and low-bandwidth (DIL) environments.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Potential benefits include:

• Opportunity to participate in a Phase 2 live demonstration.

• Potential for a follow-on production agreement without further competitive procedures if a prototype agreement is awarded.

• Opportunity to demonstrate commercial technology directly to NIWC Atlantic and Department of the Navy stakeholders.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Key dates include:

• Opportunity opens: 29 June 2026.

• Solution Brief deadline: 2359 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) 07 July 2026.

• Tentative Phase 2 Pitch: 20–21 July 2026 in Charleston, South Carolina.

• Companies selected for Phase 2 will be notified in writing as soon as practicable.

• The solicitation does not specify when prototype awards will be made or when funding will be received.

Solution Briefs must be submitted via the Vulcan platform no later than 2359 Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) 07 July 2026.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding is provided through:

• Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic Rapid Capabilities Office.

• Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) N65236-26-S-0001.

• Area of Interest 26-A006: Zero Trust Post Quantum Cryptography (PQC) Roadmap.

• Command Focus Area: Battlespace Connectivity.

Who is eligible to apply?

The solicitation is seeking commercial vendors capable of delivering a prototype solution.

Offerors must:

• Submit a Solution Brief through the Vulcan platform.

• Demonstrate the required Secret Facility Clearance at the time of Solution Brief submission.

• Include the prime contractor's CAGE Code.

• Meet the nontraditional business participation requirements described in CSO N65236-26-S-0001 Paragraph 6.2 or explicitly state any proposed cost share.

• Demonstrate their solution in an unclassified environment during Phase 2 if invited.

• Preference may be given to companies with solutions at a minimum Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7 and prior experience with automated asset discovery, code security analysis, or enterprise-scale vulnerability scanning.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The following will not be considered:

• Contractors that do not possess the required Secret Facility Clearance at the time of Solution Brief submission.

• Solution Briefs submitted after 2359 EDT on 07 July 2026.

• Solution Briefs emailed directly to the Government point of contact instead of submitted through the Vulcan platform.

The solicitation does not identify any additional eligibility exclusions.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The strongest proposals will offer a mature, integrated commercial solution that can:

• Automatically discover cryptographic assets across enterprise, cloud, endpoint, OT, and tactical environments.

• Support both passive and active scanning.

• Automatically generate machine-readable CBOMs.

• Continuously monitor cryptographic baselines.

• Meet applicable security and compliance requirements.

• Operate within cloud-native and scalable architectures.

• Identify legacy cryptography alongside FIPS 203, FIPS 204, and FIPS 205 implementations.

• Operate in DIL environments.

• Integrate with Department of the Navy centralized repositories.

Preference may also be given to companies that:

• Demonstrate a corporate PQC migration roadmap.

• Minimize operational overhead.

• Have solutions at TRL 7 or higher.

• Can demonstrate enterprise-scale deployments and rapid scalability.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

This opportunity is likely to be competitive because:

• The Government reserves the right to limit the number of companies invited to Phase 2.

• Selection is based on evaluation of the submitted Solution Briefs.

• Phase 2 requires a live demonstration of the proposed solution.

• Preference may be given to more mature technologies with demonstrated operational capability.

The solicitation does not specify the anticipated number of awards or invitees.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Applicants should be aware that:

• Solution Briefs must not contain Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).

• Solution Briefs must be submitted through the Vulcan platform.

• Submission as a Scout Card alone is not sufficient; the Solution Brief must also be uploaded as an attachment.

• A Secret Facility Clearance is required at submission.

• The prime contractor's CAGE Code must be included.

• Teaming partners must be identified if used to satisfy nontraditional participation requirements.

• Cost share must be explicitly stated if proposed.

• The Government requires a mandatory live, unclassified demonstration during Phase 2.

• Late submissions will not be considered.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify an expected preparation time.

However, companies should anticipate preparing:

• A compliant Solution Brief.

• Documentation supporting nontraditional business participation or cost share.

• Secret Facility Clearance information and CAGE Code.

• Materials necessary for a live technology demonstration if invited to Phase 2.How can BW&CO help?

Developing a competitive NIH cooperative agreement application requires more than a strong technical concept. Applicants must also demonstrate program alignment, a clear development strategy, meaningful collaboration, measurable milestones, and compliance with NIH requirements.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO helps technology companies compete for Department of Defense OTA opportunities by:

• Assessing solution alignment with the Area of Interest.

• Developing compliant, reviewer-focused Solution Briefs.

• Positioning commercial capabilities against Government evaluation criteria.

• Highlighting technical differentiators, maturity, and transition potential.

• Preparing companies for live Government pitch and demonstration sessions.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

Development and Testing of a Multi-use Frameworks Playbook for Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) (U01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), through the Office of Strategic Coordination (Common Fund) and administered by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), is seeking applications to develop standardized frameworks that support the design, deployment, and adoption of multimodal artificial intelligence (AI) clinical decision support (CDS) tools.

Rather than funding development of a single AI application, this funding opportunity supports creation of practical frameworks—including standardized protocols, guidelines, and standard operating procedures—that will become part of the Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) Program "Playbook." These frameworks are intended to improve the development, validation, interoperability, and clinical adoption of multimodal AI tools that combine medical imaging with other health data.

Applicants must propose development of two or more distinct frameworks addressing separate framework topics. Projects that fail to propose at least two distinct frameworks will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.

NIH intends to fund approximately five cooperative agreements through this opportunity.

Applications are due by October 09, 2026, at 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization. No late applications will be accepted.

How much funding would I receive?

NIH Common Fund intends to commit approximately:

• Approximately $2,000,000 in FY2027

• Approximately five awards, contingent upon availability of funds and receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications

Award budgets are limited to:

• Up to $300,000 in direct costs per year

Project periods may be:

• Up to two years

Budgets must reflect the actual needs of the proposed project.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding supports the design, development, and preliminary validation of practical frameworks that improve development and deployment of multimodal AI clinical decision support tools.

The resulting frameworks will populate the PRIMED-AI Playbook and are expected to be broadly usable across the biomedical AI community.

Applicants must develop two or more distinct framework topics, which may include areas such as:

• AI-enabled scientific discovery

• AI-ready dataset generation

• Clinical AI training frameworks

• Data quality

• Data leakage prevention

• Data lifecycle management

• Model uncertainty

• Data and model harmonization

• Generalizability across clinical environments

• Transparency and explainability

• Model cards and data cards

• Standards-based interoperability (including OMOP and FHIR)

• Privacy-enhancing technologies

• Regulatory navigation for clinical AI

Frameworks should:

• Address imaging data together with other multimodal health data

• Be practical and operational

• Adapt to the rapidly evolving AI landscape

• Clearly identify intended users

• Describe applicable data and model classes

• Define use cases and limitations

• Be suitable for adoption by the broader research community

Awardees are expected to work collaboratively to develop a shared Playbook that minimizes duplication and supports interoperability across the PRIMED-AI Program.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

In addition to funding, award recipients become members of the NIH PRIMED-AI Consortium and participate in collaborative development of the national PRIMED-AI Playbook.

Award recipients will:

• Collaborate with other Playbook awardees

• Participate in the PRIMED-AI Steering Committee

• Work with NIH program staff throughout the cooperative agreement

• Contribute frameworks to the PRIMED-AI web portal

• Participate in consortium meetings and working groups

• Attend annual in-person consortium meetings

• Participate in virtual tutorials and innovation meetings

• Participate in an in-person framework showcase at the end of Year 2

Recipients also benefit from coordination with NIH staff, Validation Centers, Logistics Centers, and other funded PRIMED-AI projects to improve consistency, dissemination, and adoption of developed frameworks.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Posted Date

June 30, 2026

Earliest Submission Date

September 09, 2026

Application Deadline

October 09, 2026, by 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

No late applications will be accepted.

Review timeline

• Scientific Merit Review: March 2027

• Advisory Council Review: May 2027

• Earliest Start Date: July 2027

Projects may last for up to two years, with awardees expected to meet defined milestones throughout the project period.

Where does this funding come from?

This funding opportunity is offered by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the Common Fund, through the Office of Strategic Coordination (OSC). The program is administered by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) on behalf of NIH.

The funding supports the Precision Medicine with AI: Integrating Imaging with Multimodal Data (PRIMED-AI) Program, which aims to accelerate the development and adoption of innovative, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable AI-based clinical decision support tools that integrate clinical imaging with multimodal health data.

This NOFO specifically supports development of standardized frameworks that will be compiled into the PRIMED-AI Playbook for use across the broader biomedical AI community.

Who is eligible to apply?

Eligible applicants include:

Higher Education Institutions

• Public/state-controlled institutions of higher education

• Private institutions of higher education

Nonprofit Organizations

• Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status

• Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) IRS status

For-Profit Organizations

• Small businesses

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses

Government Organizations

• State governments

• County governments

• City or township governments

• Special district governments

• Federally recognized Tribal governments

• Non-federally recognized Tribal governments

• Eligible Federal agencies

• U.S. territories or possessions

Other Eligible Organizations

• Independent school districts

• Public housing authorities

• Native American Tribal organizations (other than federally recognized Tribal governments)

• Faith-based organizations

• Community-based organizations

• Regional organizations

NIH Intramural Research Program investigators may also participate under the specific requirements described in the solicitation.

Individual Program Directors/Principal Investigators (PDs/PIs) may apply if they have the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed project and are affiliated with an eligible applicant organization.

Applicant organizations may submit more than one application, provided each application is scientifically distinct.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The following are not eligible to apply:

• Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities (foreign organizations)

• Non-domestic components of U.S. organizations

• Foreign components, as defined in the NIH Grants Policy Statement

Projects will also be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed if they:

• Do not propose two or more distinct frameworks for development.

• Propose two methods addressing the same framework topic rather than two separate framework topics.

NIH will also not accept duplicate or substantially overlapping applications that violate NIH submission policies.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The strongest applications will directly support the objectives of the PRIMED-AI Program by developing practical, broadly applicable frameworks that improve development and deployment of multimodal AI clinical decision support tools.

Competitive projects are likely to:

• Propose at least two distinct framework topics.

• Address important challenges in multimodal AI that integrate imaging with other health data.

• Produce frameworks that are practical, flexible, and usable across multiple clinical environments.

• Clearly identify intended users, applicable data types, use cases, and limitations.

• Demonstrate expertise in AI framework development.

• Include multidisciplinary teams with relevant stakeholders, such as clinicians, patients, software developers, regulators, and data scientists.

• Present strong collaboration plans with other PRIMED-AI award recipients.

• Include realistic milestones, timelines, and measurable performance metrics.

• Promote clinical AI adoption through user feedback and iterative framework improvement.

• Demonstrate how proposed frameworks will be shared and adopted by the broader research community.

NIH states that applications proposing frameworks that are duplicative of existing frameworks or represent only incremental advancements will be considered of low programmatic relevance, reducing their likelihood of funding.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

This funding opportunity is expected to be highly competitive.

NIH intends to make approximately five awards while committing approximately $2,000,000 in FY2027, contingent upon available funding and the receipt of a sufficient number of meritorious applications.

Applications will undergo NIH peer review and will be evaluated based on factors including:

• Importance of the proposed research

• Innovation

• Scientific rigor

• Feasibility

• Investigator expertise

• Institutional environment

In addition, reviewers will specifically evaluate:

• The need for the proposed frameworks.

• The benefit of the frameworks to multimodal AI and precision medicine.

• Flexibility and usability across multiple clinical environments.

• How well dependencies between framework types are addressed.

• The quality of collaboration plans.

• Plans to promote clinical AI adoption and innovation.

• The experience of the project team in developing and deploying AI frameworks.

Following peer review, applications compete for funding based on:

• Scientific and technical merit.

• Availability of funds.

• Relevance to PRIMED-AI program priorities.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Yes. Applicants should carefully review the program requirements before beginning an application.

Key restrictions include:

Clinical trials are not allowed

This NOFO only accepts applications that do not propose clinical trials. Applications may include activities involving human subjects that are not considered clinical trials.

You must propose at least two distinct frameworks

Each application must propose two or more distinct frameworks addressing separate framework topics.

Projects proposing only one framework, or multiple approaches to the same framework topic, will be considered non-responsive and will not be reviewed.

Frameworks must be broadly usable

All frameworks developed under this award are expected to:

• Be shared with the broader research community.

• Be suitable for inclusion in the PRIMED-AI Playbook.

• Support extensibility and interoperability.

• Clearly identify intended users, applicable data classes, use cases, and limitations.

Collaboration is required

Recipients will be expected to:

• Participate in the PRIMED-AI Consortium.

• Collaborate with other Playbook award recipients.

• Participate in monthly Playbook Working Group meetings.

• Participate in annual in-person Consortium meetings.

• Attend virtual consortium activities.

• Participate in an in-person framework showcase at the end of Year 2.

Data sharing requirements

Applicants must submit a Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Plan.

Recipients are expected to comply with PRIMED-AI Consortium policies regarding:

• Data sharing

• Software release

• Metadata standards

• Quality control

• Public copyright licensing

• Standardization requirements

Recipients are also required to engage with the Common Fund Data Ecosystem (CFDE) for dissemination of PRIMED-AI resources.

Registration requirements

Organizations must complete all required registrations before submitting an application, including:

• System for Award Management (SAM)

• Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

• eRA Commons

• Grants.gov

Program Directors/Principal Investigators must have:

• An eRA Commons account

• A linked ORCID ID

NIH notes that registration can take six weeks or longer, so applicants should begin the registration process as early as possible.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

Applicants should expect this to be a significant proposal effort.

In addition to the standard NIH application requirements, applicants must prepare:

• Two or more distinct framework concepts.

• A detailed research strategy.

• A draft framework layout.

• Early standard operating procedures (SOPs).

• Framework management plans.

• A multidisciplinary team approach.

• Collaboration plans with other PRIMED-AI award recipients.

• A milestone plan with Gantt chart.

• Performance metrics.

• A Data Management and Sharing Plan.

• Resource sharing information.

• Required registrations for both the organization and PD(s)/PI(s).

Applicants must also budget for required consortium participation, including annual in-person meetings and the Year 2 framework showcase.

Because of these requirements, organizations should begin preparing well before the application deadline.

Applications are due by October 09, 2026, at 5:00 PM local time of applicant organization.

How can BW&CO help?

Developing a competitive NIH cooperative agreement application requires more than a strong technical concept. Applicants must also demonstrate program alignment, a clear development strategy, meaningful collaboration, measurable milestones, and compliance with NIH requirements.

BW&CO can help your team:

• Assess whether your project aligns with the goals of the PRIMED-AI Program.

• Refine your framework concepts to address NIH review criteria.

• Develop a compelling research strategy and project narrative.

• Create realistic milestones, timelines, and measurable deliverables.

• Strengthen collaboration and management plans.

• Prepare compliant budgets and application documents.

• Review your application for responsiveness before submission.

• Manage proposal development from kickoff through final submission.

Our team works with companies, universities, nonprofit organizations, and research institutions to prepare competitive federal funding applications while minimizing the administrative burden on technical teams.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

Battlefield Pain Management – Analgesic (HT942726RE009)

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

The Defense Health Agency (DHA), through the Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA), is seeking proposals to develop an FDA-approved, single-use analgesic product for battlefield use to treat moderate to severe acute pain. The product is intended for Tactical Combat Casualty Care (TCCC), Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC), casualty evacuation (CASEVAC/MEDEVAC), and all Roles of Care.

The Government expects to make no more than two prototype Other Transaction Authority (pOTA) awards under 10 U.S.C. 4022. A successfully completed prototype project may lead to a follow-on production contract or transaction.

EXTENDED: Proposal Due Date: 14 August 2026 . Companies pursuing this opportunity should begin preparing immediately because the solicitation requires a comprehensive technical, management, regulatory, and cost proposal with extensive FDA development planning.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation does not specify:

• Total program funding

• Individual award value

• Maximum or minimum award amount

The Government states only that it intends to make no more than two awards.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding is intended to support development of an FDA-approved, single-use analgesic product for battlefield use, including activities such as:

• Non-clinical studies

• Clinical studies and trials

• FDA regulatory strategy and submission

• Development activities compliant with:

  • 21 CFR Part 58

  • 21 CFR Part 11

  • Applicable FDA guidance documents

• Manufacturing planning

• Quality management

• Commercial manufacturing planning

The objective is to obtain FDA approval for a rapid, single-dose analgesic indicated for moderate to severe acute pain that can be used in austere military environments.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

The solicitation states that:

• A successfully completed prototype project may lead to a follow-on production contract or transaction under 10 U.S.C. 4022(f).

• The product could ultimately be fielded as part of the Battlefield Pain Management Family of Systems and potentially become part of standard issue equipment for the Joint Force.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

The solicitation provides the following timeline:

• Request issued: 29 June 2026

• Questions due: 10 July 2026

• Proposal Due Date: 14 August 2026

The solicitation estimates an overall project period of performance of eight years, consisting of:

• Objective 1: 3 years

• Objective 2 (non-clinical studies): 2 years

• Objective 3: 3 years

Funding is anticipated to be incremental, with the funding schedule provided after award.

The solicitation does not specify when awards will be made or when initial funding will be received.

Where does this funding come from?

Funding comes from:

• Defense Health Agency (DHA)

• Portfolio Acquisition Executive Medical Products (PAE MP)

• Warfighter Protection and Acute Care Project Management Office (WPAC PMO)

The solicitation is administered by the:

• Defense Health Agency Contracting Activity (DHACA)

Awards will be made using Prototype Other Transaction Authority (pOTA) under 10 U.S.C. 4022.

Who is eligible to apply?

To be eligible for award, a proposal must demonstrate at least one of the following:

• At least one nontraditional defense contractor participates to a significant extent.

• At least one nonprofit research institute participates to a significant extent.

• All significant non-government participants are small businesses or nontraditional defense contractors.

• At least one-third of total project costs are provided by non-federal sources.

Additional requirements include:

• Prime awardees must maintain an active SAM registration.

• Prime awardees must use their SAM Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

• NAICS Code 541714 must be listed in SAM prior to award.

Who is not eligible to apply?

Companies that fail to demonstrate one of the statutory eligibility conditions described above may be determined ineligible.

The Government also states proposals may be eliminated if they:

• Fail preliminary screening

• Do not comply with proposal instructions

• Fail to demonstrate required nontraditional participation or cost sharing (when applicable)

The solicitation does not identify additional ineligible applicant categories.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

Based on the stated evaluation criteria, the most competitive proposals will demonstrate:

• A strong technical approach for achieving FDA approval

• Well-developed non-clinical and clinical development plans

• A credible FDA regulatory strategy

• Relevant FDA approval and commercialization experience

• Strong project management

• Realistic scheduling and risk management

• Quality management systems

• Commercial manufacturing planning

• Realistic, reasonable, and complete cost proposals

Projects must clearly address the Government's objectives for developing a battlefield-ready, single-use analgesic product.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

The solicitation is expected to be highly competitive.

Indicators include:

• No more than two awards are anticipated.

• Proposals undergo technical, management, and cost evaluations.

• Vendors must satisfy statutory OTA participation requirements.

• Extensive FDA regulatory planning and commercialization planning are required.

• The Government reserves the right to make no award depending on proposal quality and funding availability.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Key restrictions include:

• Proposal must be submitted as three separate volumes:

  • Technical

  • Management

  • Administrative and Cost

• Cost information may appear only in Volume III.

• Technical proposals must include FDA regulatory strategy.

• Project Management Plan must include:

  • Integrated Master Schedule

  • Risk Management Plan

  • Spend Plan

  • Quality Management Plan

  • Work Breakdown Structure

• Microsoft Project schedule is required.

• Searchable PDF submissions are required.

• Files may not be password protected.

• Files may not contain hyperlinks.

• Labor escalation may not exceed 3% per year.

• Foreign organizations or collaborators require additional justification.

• Accounting systems must comply with GAAP for expenditure-based agreements.

• Prime awardees must maintain active SAM registration throughout performance.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

The solicitation does not specify an expected proposal preparation time.

However, the required submission includes:

• Technical volume

• Management volume

• Administrative and Cost volume

• FDA regulatory strategy

• Statement of Work

• Integrated Master Schedule

• Project Management Plan

• Commercial Manufacturing Sales Plan

• Detailed cost proposal

• Supporting documentation

• Required certifications and representations

Preparing a compliant submission is likely to require significant coordination across technical, regulatory, manufacturing, management, and finance teams.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO can support applicants by helping develop a compliant proposal package, including:

• Proposal strategy

• Technical narrative development

• Project management documentation

• Regulatory strategy alignment

• Cost proposal development

• Compliance review

• Proposal management through final submission

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.

​Mitigating Proliferation Risks Posed by Artificial Intelligence Enabled Molecular Models and Leveraging Nonproliferation Opportunities​ - DFOP0018449

Below is a brief summary. Please check the full solicitation before applying (link in resources section).

Executive Summary:

Application Deadline: 11:59 PM ET on 7/21/2026. Organizations interested in this opportunity should plan to begin preparing their application immediately, as proposals require a detailed technical narrative, budget, monitoring and evaluation plan, and supporting documentation.

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (ACN/NDF), is seeking proposals to reduce the proliferation risks created by artificial intelligence-enabled molecular models (CBAIMs) while advancing beneficial AI applications for chemical and biological nonproliferation.

The program supports projects that identify vulnerabilities in AI molecular models and associated datasets, develop safeguards and mitigation measures, create technical tools and international best practices, and strengthen international cooperation to prevent the misuse of AI for weapons of mass destruction (WMD) applications.

Projects may address the full scope of the program or a clearly defined subset of the stated objectives. Awards will be made as Cooperative Agreements, meaning the Department of State expects substantial involvement throughout the project.

How much funding would I receive?

The solicitation provides:

• Total available funding: $4,000,000

• Anticipated number of awards: 2–5

• Award type: Cooperative Agreement

• Maximum period of performance: 24 months

The solicitation does not specify a minimum or maximum award amount per recipient. Proposals may not exceed the total availability of funds under this NOFO.

What could I use the funding for?

Funding supports projects that help prevent the misuse of AI-enabled molecular models while promoting responsible AI development for chemical and biological security.

Examples of supported activities include:

• Identifying foreign stakeholders involved in AI-enabled molecular design.

• Conducting technical evaluations and risk assessments of AI molecular models, datasets, computing infrastructure, and model architectures.

• Developing and testing safeguards, mitigation measures, and best practices that reduce proliferation risks.

• Piloting new methodologies to evaluate and mitigate misuse throughout the AI model lifecycle.

• Developing software tools, secure platforms, methodologies, and other technical resources that leverage AI for nonproliferation purposes.

• Developing tools that detect illicit chemical or biological material acquisition, development, diversion, proliferation, weaponization, or use.

• Publishing international guidelines, codes of ethics, best practices, institutional mechanisms, software tools, or platforms supporting responsible AI development.

• Organizing international workshops, tabletop exercises, technical exchanges, and stakeholder engagement activities.

• Providing mentorship and trainer development to foreign partners.

• Supporting recurring evaluations and red-teaming exercises to validate safeguards as technology evolves.

The Department encourages projects that produce tangible technical deliverables rather than awareness activities alone. Deliverables may include:

• Software tools

• Secure data-sharing platforms

• Methodologies

• Guidelines

• Codes of ethics

• Mitigation measures

• Technical frameworks

• Other resources supporting responsible AI molecular research and nonproliferation.

Are there any additional benefits I would receive?

Beyond funding, successful recipients will work closely with ACN/NDF throughout the project.

Under the Cooperative Agreement, the Department expects substantial involvement, including:

• Regular coordination with ACN/NDF.

• Quarterly milestone reviews.

• Collaboration on identifying international partners and stakeholders.

• Assistance coordinating workshops and engagement activities.

• Review and feedback on work plans and project deliverables.

• Coordination with Department of State personnel and U.S. Missions where appropriate.

• Guidance to ensure project activities remain aligned with Department priorities.

Projects may also help establish long-term international communities of practice, strengthen partnerships with government, industry, and academia, and encourage adoption of globally recognized safeguards and best practices for AI-enabled molecular models.

What is the timeline to apply and when would I receive funding?

Application deadline: 11:59 PM ET on 7/21/2026.

Applications must be submitted through MyGrants. Faxed, couriered, or emailed applications are not accepted except for eligible U.S. Federal Government entities.

Following submission:

• Applications first undergo a Technical Eligibility Review.

• Eligible applications advance to a Merit Review Panel.

• Final award decisions are made by ACN/NDF leadership.

The solicitation states that awards may be made based on the initial application without discussions or negotiations.

The solicitation does not specify when award decisions will be announced or when funding will be received.

If selected:

• A pre-project implementation meeting will occur within 30 days after award.

• A draft Project Work Plan must be submitted within 30 days of award.

Where does this funding come from?

This funding is provided by the:

U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Arms Control and Nonproliferation
Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (ACN/NDF)

The authority for this funding opportunity is Section 504 of the FREEDOM Support Act of 1992.

The Office of the Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund develops projects that support U.S. efforts to:

• Prevent proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

• Reduce chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats.

• Prevent the spread of missile and advanced conventional weapons.

• Support international nonproliferation and arms control objectives.

• Secure, remove, or destroy WMD-related materials and systems.

This funding opportunity specifically supports projects addressing proliferation risks associated with AI-enabled molecular models and opportunities to leverage AI in support of international chemical and biological nonproliferation efforts.

Who is eligible to apply?

The following U.S.-based organizations are eligible to apply:

• Domestic not-for-profit organizations, including organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status.

• Public institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

• For-profit organizations and businesses.

• U.S. Federal Government entities.

Organizations may also form a consortium and submit a combined proposal. In these cases:

• One organization must serve as the lead applicant.

• The remaining organizations must participate as sub-awardees.

• The lead applicant must independently meet the eligibility requirements.

Cost sharing is not required. Providing voluntary cost share is not an eligibility requirement and will not improve an application's competitive ranking.

Who is not eligible to apply?

The following organizations are not eligible under this solicitation:

• Foreign not-for-profit organizations.

• Foreign Public Entities (FPEs).

• Public International Organizations (PIOs).

Additionally, organizations are not eligible if they:

• Have an exclusion listed in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).

• Have a current debt to the U.S. Government.

• Include any excluded entity or individual identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions list as part of the proposed project.

The solicitation also notes that while for-profit organizations are eligible, the Department of State prohibits recipients from earning profit under assistance awards. Reimbursement is limited to allowable direct and indirect costs.

What companies and projects are likely to win?

The Department identifies several characteristics that it will evaluate favorably.

Strong proposals are likely to:

• Directly address AI-enabled chemical and biological proliferation risks and/or leverage AI to strengthen nonproliferation objectives.

• Produce practical, deployable technical deliverables rather than awareness activities alone.

• Demonstrate experience researching, testing, or implementing safeguards for AI molecular models.

• Include meaningful technical assessments, risk evaluations, or mitigation strategies.

• Develop software tools, secure platforms, methodologies, guidelines, or other resources that can be readily adopted by researchers and industry.

• Include subject matter experts with broad international AI research and development expertise.

• Prioritize partner countries with a clear rationale.

• Demonstrate measurable nonproliferation benefits supported by data-driven analysis.

• Include long-term sustainability through communities of practice, national action plans, or ongoing partnerships.

• Deliver meaningful threat reduction within the first year of funding.

• Incorporate workshops, technical exchanges, mentorship, red-teaming exercises, and sustained stakeholder engagement.

• Present creative solutions that extend beyond the examples listed in the NOFO while remaining aligned with its objectives.

During formal evaluation, reviewers will assess:

• Responsiveness to the program objectives.

• Technical quality of the proposed activities.

• Organizational capability.

• Budget realism and cost efficiency.

• Past performance on previous grants and cooperative agreements.

If two proposals receive equivalent evaluation scores, preference will be given to the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate as a tie-breaking mechanism.

How competitive will this solicitation be?

This is expected to be a highly competitive funding opportunity.

The solicitation provides:

• $4,000,000 in total available funding.

• 2–5 anticipated awards.

Applications must first pass a Technical Eligibility Review before advancing to a Merit Review Panel.

Eligible proposals will be evaluated on a 100-point scale by U.S. Government subject matter experts and, where appropriate, non-government subject matter experts.

Reviewers will evaluate:

• Proposed activities.

• Organizational capability.

• Budget.

• Past performance.

Final selections will also consider:

• Alignment with Department of State priorities.

• Support for U.S. foreign policy objectives.

• Geographic distribution of top-ranked applications.

The Department also reserves the right to make awards based solely on the initial application without discussions or negotiations, making a complete and well-developed first submission especially important.

Are there any restrictions I should know about?

Applicants should be aware of several important restrictions and compliance requirements.

Key restrictions include:

• Award funds may not be provided to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

• Funds may not support activities that encourage, mobilize, publicize, or manage mass-migration caravans toward the U.S. southwest border.

• Funds may not be used for legal counseling on the U.S. asylum process or referrals to legal representation in the United States.

• If the project involves Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), additional requirements apply.

• Recipients must comply with applicable Federal anti-discrimination requirements where applicable.

• Institutions of higher education must comply with applicable foreign funding disclosure requirements.

• Certain awards exceeding specified thresholds require Trafficking in Persons compliance certifications.

• All applicants must maintain an active Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and SAM.gov registration throughout the application and award period unless an approved exemption applies.

• Applications must be submitted through MyGrants (except eligible U.S. Federal Government entities).

• The Department of State prohibits recipients from earning profit under assistance awards.

Recipients should also review the applicable Federal regulations, Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions, and reporting requirements described throughout the solicitation.

How long will it take me to prepare an application?

This is a moderate- to high-effort application.

Applicants must prepare a complete proposal package that includes:

• SF-424 and SF-424A (where applicable)

• Project Proposal Narrative (maximum 10 pages)

• Detailed line-item budget

• Budget narrative

• Resumes or position descriptions for key personnel

• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan (maximum 3 pages, excluding the tracking document)

• Performance indicator tracking table

• Required registrations, including an active UEI and SAM.gov registration

The proposal narrative must clearly describe:

• The problem being addressed

• Program goals and measurable objectives

• Technical approach

• Activities

• Timeline

• Program partners (if applicable)

• Sustainability plan

Organizations without an active SAM.gov registration should allow additional time. The solicitation states that obtaining or renewing a registration may take anywhere from 4–8 weeks.

Because the Department may make awards based on the initial application without discussions or negotiations, applicants should submit their strongest technical and budget proposal by the application deadline of 11:59 PM ET on 7/21/2026.

How can BW&CO help?

BW&CO helps organizations develop competitive, compliant proposals for federal funding opportunities like this one.

Our team can assist with:

• Assessing whether your technology or organization aligns with the solicitation.

• Developing a proposal strategy aligned with the stated evaluation criteria.

• Writing and editing the technical proposal narrative.

• Developing measurable project objectives, milestones, and deliverables.

• Preparing compliant budgets and budget narratives.

• Developing monitoring and evaluation plans.

• Reviewing proposals for completeness and responsiveness before submission.

For this opportunity, applicants should be prepared to demonstrate strong technical expertise in AI-enabled molecular models, chemical and biological security, or closely related disciplines, along with a clear implementation strategy and measurable outcomes that align with the Department of State's stated objectives.

Additional Resources

Review the solicitation here.