AERIAL LAYER NETWORKING & TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGIES

Amendment / Modification

This amendment modifies the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) FA8750-23-S-7002 as follows:

• Part II, Section I: Adds a paragraph to the Technology Description.
• Part II, Section V.2.b.2: Adds language concerning the S&T process.
• Part II, Section VI.7: Updates applicable provisions.
• Part II, Section VII: Updates the OMBUDSMAN date and changes AFFARS to DAFFARS.

Sections I, V, VI, and VII of Part II of the BAA have been updated.

No changes to proposal submission deadlines or evaluation factors are indicated. Bidders should ensure they are referencing the updated sections of the BAA.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) solicits white papers for research, development, integration, test, and evaluation of technologies for Airborne Network Connectivity and Dissemination. The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) seeks innovations to create a more on-demand, self-forming, and self-healing aerial layer network, moving beyond current architectures that require significant pre-planning and have limited interoperability. This BAA is a follow-on to FA8750-19-S-7001.

Research efforts should focus on advancing aerial layer networking capabilities, particularly in contested, degraded, and operationally limited (CDO) environments. Key areas of interest include:

• Airborne Network Management and Monitoring: Novel concepts, tools, and techniques for managing current and emerging airborne networks, including self-managing, self-healing autonomic wireless capabilities (e.g., SDN, NFV).

• Robust Airborne Networking: Technologies for apertures, waveforms, and networking to ensure robust and resilient airborne networks, enhancing security and reliability.

• Demonstrable Aerial Layer Network Technologies: Advanced radios, waveforms, networking, and management technologies suitable for proof-of-concept demonstrations.

• BAA Number: FA8750-23-S-7002

• NAICS Code: 541715

• Estimated Funding: Approximately $99.5M total.

• Anticipated Awards: Multiple awards are anticipated.

• Award Instruments: FAR-based Procurement contracts, DODGARS-based grants and cooperative agreements, or Other Transactions (OTs).

• Individual Award Size: Typically $1M to $10M, not normally exceeding 36 months. Potential for awards up to $49.5M.

• Type: Open, Two-Step BAA. White papers are accepted as initial submissions; formal proposals are by invitation only.

• Submission Dates: White papers are accepted until September 30, 2027. Suggested submission dates for FY23-FY27 are provided to align with projected funding (FY23 by March 2, 2023; FY24 by Sept 15, 2023; FY25 by Sept 15, 2024; FY26 by Sept 15, 2025; FY27 by Sept 15, 2026).

• White Paper Format: 3-5 pages, double-spaced, 12-point font. Specific sections required (Title, Period of Performance, Cost, Company Info, Technical/Contracting POCs; Task Objective; Technical Summary/Deliverables).

• Evaluation Criteria: Overall Scientific and Technical Merit, Related Experience, Openness/Maturity/Assurance of Solution, and Reasonableness/Realism of proposed costs.

• General Eligibility: All qualified offerors.

• Foreign Participation: Closed to foreign participation (ownership and nationals), with exceptions for unclassified fundamental research. Specific requirements for foreign nationals and FOCI companies are detailed.

• FFRDCs/Government Entities: Subject to competition limitations; specific eligibility criteria apply.

• Offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM).

• Specific requirements for S&T Protection, Cloud Computing, and Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI) are detailed.

• Technical questions should be directed to Timothy Weaver; contractual questions to Amber Buckley.