Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR)

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is an Open Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) for the Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR) initiative, seeking white papers and proposals for research and development (R&D) in space-flight and space-related signal, energy, and transportation technologies. The goal is to mature space-domain technologies, from early concepts to full system prototypes, to enhance national defense capabilities.

The solicitation covers four topic areas:

• Topic Area 1: Space Vehicle Functionality and Logistics: Enhancing spacecraft components and subsystems for agility, resilience, affordability, and performance. This includes areas like deployable structures, thermal control, agile manufacturing, power systems, command and data handling, survivable electronics, guidance, navigation, control, autonomy, and logistics support (e.g., space access, resilient command and control, on-orbit manufacturing, debris mitigation).
• Topic Area 2: Mission Effects and Capabilities: Developing capabilities for space-based sensing, battlespace awareness, ionospheric specification, space communication hardware and networks, position, navigation, and timing (PNT) technologies, and efficient solar power transfer.
• Topic Area 3: Space System/Services Anomaly Detection, Attribution, and Protection: Developing tools and sensors to predict, detect, and mitigate threats to spacecraft and space services, including data exploitation, hazard prediction, cyber threat warning, and passive/active protection.
• Topic Area 4: Space Battle Management, Command, and Control: Enabling uninterrupted space services through enhanced domain awareness, battle management tools, and command and control options, including data fusion, AI, machine learning, and multi-domain C2 concepts.

Deliverables will include data, final reports, software, and hardware, with specific requirements to be detailed in contract awards (e.g., DD Form 1423-1 CDRLs). Data rights will be negotiated, with a preference for Government Purpose Rights (GPR) or Unlimited Rights.

• Contract Type: The Air Force reserves the right to award various contract types, including Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee, Cost Contract, Firm Fixed Price, Other Transaction (OT), Technology Investment Agreements, or Cooperative Agreements.

• Estimated Program Cost: Unspecified, with individual awards ranging from $50,000 to $100,000,000. The Government reserves the right to modify or exceed this amount.

• Period of Performance: To be determined through dialogue and specified in individual awards.

• Submission: This is a two-step solicitation. The first step requires submission of a white paper and a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate using a provided Microsoft Word template. White papers must be submitted via the AMRDEC SAFE website.

• Evaluation: White papers will be evaluated based on Problem Definition, Relevance to AFRL Needs, Scientific and Engineering Viability, Project Plan, Value/Cost, and Proposal Quality. White papers will be categorized as Highly Recommended, Selectable, or Not Selectable. Selectable/Highly Recommended papers will receive a Request for Proposal (RFP) letter for the second step.

• Deadlines: Not explicitly stated for the white paper submission, but Offerors are encouraged to monitor Contract Opportunities for updates.

• Eligible Offeror: This is an unrestricted solicitation. Businesses of all sizes are encouraged to propose.

• Cost Sharing: Not required, but may be considered.

• Foreign Participation: Subject to foreign disclosure procedures; U.S. citizenship is required for contractor employees requiring access to USAF bases or IT networks.

• Dialogue between prospective Offerors and Government representatives is strongly encouraged.

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

• Security requirements may range from Unclassified to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).

• Export control regulations (ITAR/EAR) apply, requiring a Certified DD Form 2345.

• Government Furnished Property (GFP) and Government Furnished Information (GFI) are anticipated.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment updates the points of contact for the announcement.

• Announcement Overview
• Full Text Announcement, Paragraph II. Award Information (5) Points of Contact

No changes to proposal deadlines or requirements are indicated. This amendment solely provides updated contact information for contracting personnel.

Amendment / Modification

This amendment (Amendment 2) to the Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) FA9453-19-S-0002 makes the following changes:

• Announcement Overview: The URL for monitoring updates has been changed from http://www.fbo.gov to https://beta.sam.gov/.
• Type of Contract/Instrument: The language regarding contract types and instruments has been updated. It clarifies that the Air Force reserves the right to award the instrument best suited to the research proposed, including FAR or Non-FAR instruments like Other Transaction (OT) agreements and cooperative agreements. It also reiterates that cost-type contracts require an accounting system deemed adequate by DCAA, and if not, Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee and Cost Contracts cannot be awarded. It also updates the reference for FAR clauses from http://farsite.hill.af.mil to www.Acquisition.GOV.
• Points of Contact: Several points of contact have been updated:
  • The Technical Point of Contact for the Program Manager has changed from Mr. Steve Fiedler to Mr. Michael P. Lopez.
  • The Contracting Officer (Primary) has changed from Ms. Maria Parker to Ms. Maria Fe Z. Parker.
  • An alternate Contracting Specialist, Mr. Daniel J. Alvarado, has been added.
• Pre-Award Clearance: The URL for the OFCCP National Pre-award Registry has been updated from https://ofccp.dol-esa.gov/preaward/pa_reg.html to https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp/pre-award.

• Announcement Overview
• Type of Contract/Instrument
• Points of Contact (Contracting and Technical)
• Other Relevant Information (Pre-Award Clearance)

Offerors are strongly encouraged to monitor https://beta.sam.gov/ for the latest guidance. The changes to points of contact may affect how Offerors communicate with the government. The update to the Pre-Award Clearance section provides an updated URL for checking compliance status.

Amendment / Modification

• The submission instructions for White Papers have been updated. White Papers must now be prepared using a provided Template and submitted on a Compact Disc (CD) to the Contracting Point of Contact (POC), Ms. Maria Parker, at AFRL/RVKV, 3550 Aberdeen Ave. SE, Kirtland AFB, NM 87117-5776. The template can be accessed and downloaded from https://valideval.com/star_documents/. Offerors are instructed to download a new copy of the template to ensure they have the most current version. Specific instructions are provided for submitting classified white papers, advising offerors to contact the POCs listed in the ARA for delivery instructions rather than sending classified information via email.

• Attachment 1, AMRDEC Safe Submission Instructions, has been removed entirely.

• Submission instructions for White Papers.

• Attachment 1 (AMRDEC Safe Submission Instructions).

• Proposal submission method has changed to CD via mail, with specific instructions for template usage and classified document handling.

• The deadline for proposal submission is not mentioned as changed in this amendment.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This is an Open Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) for the Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR) initiative by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate. The purpose is to solicit white papers and proposals for research and development (R&D) related to space-flight systems, including space flight, on-orbit servicing, debris management, controlled reentry, associated ground systems, communications links, command and control, advanced spacecraft manufacturing technologies, and space system user equipment. The effort aims to mature space-domain technologies to enhance national defense capabilities.

• Research and Development (R&D), modeling and simulation (M&S), fabrication, experimentation, characterization, testing, demonstration, and prototyping.

• Focus areas include:

  • Topic Area 1: Space vehicle functionality and logistics (e.g., deployable structures, thermal control, agile manufacturing, power systems, C2, autonomy, space access, on-orbit manufacturing, debris mitigation).
  • Topic Area 2: Mission effects and capabilities (e.g., space-based sensing, battlespace awareness, ionospheric specification, space communication hardware/software, PNT technologies, quantum sensing).
  • Topic Area 3: Space system/services anomaly detection, attribution, and protection (e.g., threat detection, data exploitation, cyber threat warning, protection options).
  • Topic Area 4: Space Battle Management, Command, and Control (e.g., domain awareness, battle management tools, C2 options, data fusion, AI/ML).

• Deliverables will include data, final reports, software, and hardware, as specified per award. DD Form 1423-1 CDRLs will be used.

• The Government may award various contract types, including Cost-Plus-Fixed Fee, Cost Contract, Firm Fixed Price, Other Transaction (OT), Technology Investment Agreements, or Cooperative Agreements.

• Estimated Program Cost: Unspecified, with multiple awards ranging from $50,000 to $100,000,000.

• Period of Performance: To be determined through dialogue for each topic area and specified in individual awards.

• This is a Two-Step Solicitation. Only white papers are being solicited at this time.

• White Papers must be submitted using a provided Microsoft Word Template via the AMRDEC SAFE website.

• A Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate is required with the white paper.

• Evaluation Criteria for white papers and proposals include: Problem Definition, Relevance to AFRL Needs, Scientific and Engineering Viability, Project Plan, Value/Cost, and Proposal Quality.

• Key Deadlines: White papers are kept on file for one year. Offerors will be notified of white paper disposition within 30 days of receipt.

• Unrestricted solicitation; businesses of all sizes are encouraged to propose.

• Cost sharing or matching is not required.

• Dialogue between prospective Offerors and Government representatives is strongly encouraged.

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

• Security requirements may range from Unclassified to Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI).

• Export Control regulations (ITAR/EAR) apply; a Certified DD Form 2345 is required.

• Data rights will be negotiated, with a preference for Government Purpose Rights (GPR).