Human Systems Technologies for Future Air Force Challenges | Apply Online

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the "Human Systems Technologies for Future Air Force Challenges" opportunity?

This was a competitive research solicitation issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). It focused on advancing human-systems technologies relevant to future U.S. Air Force needs, with the work organized into four distinct research programs under a single umbrella call.

Which AFRL organization issued this solicitation?

The solicitation was issued by AFRL/RH (the Human Effectiveness Directorate) at the Wright Research Site.

What was the main purpose of the call?

The purpose was to attract technical and cost proposals that could advance human-systems technologies aligned with future Air Force challenges and needs.

How was the work organized within the solicitation?

The effort was organized into four distinct research programs. The summary notice indicates that the detailed requirements, deliverables, and evaluation expectations were tied to each individual program area, rather than being fully defined in the umbrella notice itself.

Did the summary notice include details about the four research programs?

No. The notice states that there were four programs, but it does not spell out the details of those programs in the summary. Offerors were expected to follow program-specific instructions contained in each program description.

Where were the "real" requirements and instructions located?

The umbrella announcement provided the overall framework, but the specific requirements, deliverables, and evaluation expectations were tied to each individual program area under the call. Offerors were expected to respond to program-specific instructions.

What is the relationship between this call and the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)?

This call (identified as CALL4) was issued under an existing Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) identified as PKD 08 0006. Proposals had to conform to the procedures and rules of that BAA, as well as any additional terms included in the call.

What is the BAA identifier and original posting information?

The BAA was identified as PKD 08 0006 and was originally posted on FedBizOpps.gov on June 25, 2008.

What kinds of proposals were required?

The announcement emphasized submission of both technical and cost proposals. That means offerors were expected to describe the proposed research approach (technical proposal) and also provide a complete cost plan (cost proposal).

Where were proposals supposed to be submitted?

Offerors were expected to direct their submissions to the contracting point of contact identified in paragraph 9 of each program description. In other words, the destination for submissions depended on the specific program area instructions.

What types of award instruments could AFRL use?

The solicitation indicated that AFRL could use cooperative agreements, grants, and procurement contracts. This suggests flexibility in the award mechanism depending on the nature of the work and anticipated government involvement.

Was the funding described as discretionary or mandatory?

The funding was categorized as discretionary.

What research area or funding category did this opportunity fall under?

It was described under science and technology and other research and development, consistent with an R&D-focused solicitation.

What CFDA program was this aligned to?

The opportunity was aligned to CFDA 12.800, the Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program.

Who was eligible to apply?

Eligibility was described as unrestricted, meaning it was generally open to any type of entity (such as companies, universities, nonprofits, or other organizations). However, the notice also warned that eligibility could have additional constraints depending on the specific program text.

Were there any additional eligibility constraints?

Possibly. While the overall opportunity stated unrestricted eligibility, it also cautioned that additional constraints might apply depending on the specific program description.

Was cost sharing or matching required?

No cost sharing or matching requirement was stated at the opportunity level.

When was the solicitation posted?

The posting date and creation date were both August 30, 2010.

What were the closing dates for submitting proposals?

The original closing date and the final closing date were both October 15, 2010.

When was the opportunity archived?

The opportunity was archived on November 14, 2010.

Who was the listed point of contact for administrative questions or access issues?

The listed point of contact was Mark Wade, Contract Negotiator.

How could the point of contact be reached?

Mark Wade could be reached by phone at 937-656-9026, particularly for those who could not access the full announcement electronically.

What should an applicant do if they cannot access the full announcement online?

The notice specifically provided a phone contact for that situation: Mark Wade, Contract Negotiator, at 937-656-9026.

What overall topic area did this solicitation target?

The solicitation targeted human effectiveness and human systems technology research intended to address emerging operational challenges for the Air Force.

How competitive was this opportunity?

It was described as a competitive research solicitation, meaning proposals were expected to be evaluated against one another under the program-specific criteria described in the program texts.