Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Webster Outlying Field (WOLF) Airborne Systems Integration (ASI) Division

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) seeks proposals for the acquisition of basic and applied research, and development not related to specific system or hardware procurement. It is not intended for technical, engineering, or support services. The focus is on research and development in technologies applicable to air platforms, manned and unmanned payloads, advanced computing, air platform support systems, advanced air system security, and improved Naval air capabilities. Technologies should emphasize rapid development, assessment, integration, and demonstration for the warfighter.

The BAA outlines several research areas of interest, including:

• Platform Related Areas: UAS/USV/UUV autonomous operations, payload capabilities, SWAP, powertrain improvements, noise dampening, contested airspace payload delivery, expendable/low-cost surveillance, disadvantaged platforms, and air system availability/cost reduction.

• Payload Related Areas: Non-acoustic and acoustic Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) sensors, Mine Counter Measure (MCM) sensors, EO/IR/RF/LIDAR systems, EW/cyber capabilities, airborne networking, commercial networking adaptation, unattended remote sensor technology, RF techniques for target detection, data link communication, and lightweight sense and avoid technologies.

• Advanced Computing and Processing: Signal processing, information processing, telemetry, mathematical modeling, quantum encryption, multi-domain networking, and AI/ML techniques.

• Advanced Air System Security and Protection: Sensor and airframe survivability, countermeasure techniques, Cross Domain Solutions, kinetic/non-kinetic defeat techniques, secure communication/storage, and cyber hardening.

• Multiple awards are anticipated.

• Awards will be made to Offerors with proposals deemed most advantageous to the Government.

• Contract type can be a procurement contract or an Other Transaction (OT).

• The Government reserves the right to select for negotiation all, some, one, or none of the proposals, make awards without discussions, conduct discussions, segregate portions, accept proposals in entirety or select portions, fund in increments, request additional documentation, or remove Offerors from consideration.

• Phase I: Proposal Abstracts may be submitted at any time up until the BAA closing date (10 April 2027). Offerors must not submit general capability statements. Proposals must be for actual technologies or research within the areas of interest. Abstracts are limited to five pages, plus a one-page Quad Chart.

• Phase II: Full Technical/Cost Proposals will be requested only from Offerors whose Phase I abstracts are considered capable and have a high probability of being funded.

• Evaluation Criteria: Primary criteria include scientific and technical merits, and potential contributions to DoD/Navy/NAWCAD WOLF ASI Division (relevance, utility, readiness, affordability, logistics, data rights). Additional criteria include capabilities, experience, past performance, personnel, facilities, and cost realism.

• Submission is via email to specified points of contact.

• Socio-economic merits will be evaluated for contracts, focusing on subcontracting opportunities with Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Minority Institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Small Businesses, Small Disadvantaged Businesses, Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses, HUBZone Small Businesses, Veteran Owned Small Businesses, and Women Owned Small Businesses.

• Small Business Subcontracting Plans are required for large businesses and non-profits, with minimum goal percentages specified.

• Offerors that submitted a proposal to N68335-25-R-0403 are requested not to submit an additional proposal abstract unless otherwise requested.

• FAR, DFARS, and NMCARS clauses referenced may have changed due to the Revolutionary FAR Overhaul.

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

• Research may be considered fundamental or non-fundamental, with potential publication restrictions for non-fundamental research.

• Appendices provide detailed instructions for contract and Other Transaction Agreement proposals.