Space Based Advanced Sensing and Protection Branch Open 5 Year Broad Agency Announcement | Apply Online

FAQs: Space Based Advanced Sensing and Protection Branch Open 5 Year BAA (BAA VS 07 07)

1) What is the Space Based Advanced Sensing and Protection Branch Open 5 Year BAA (BAA VS 07 07)?

It is a long-running research solicitation issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate. It establishes an open-ended, five-year umbrella Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) that defines the overall scope and competition rules for research and development related to space payload technologies for current and future Air Force space systems.

2) Is this BAA a request for immediate proposal submission?

No. The baseline BAA is not itself a request for immediate proposal submission. AFRL only accepts proposals in response to separate, topic-specific proposal requests called "CALLS" that are released under the umbrella BAA.

3) What are "CALLS" under this BAA?

CALLS are periodic, topic-specific proposal requests released by AFRL under the umbrella BAA. They provide the actual technical objectives, proposal deadlines, performance periods, and expected funding ranges for a given topic area. Proposals are submitted only when a CALL is issued.

4) What is the technical focus of this opportunity?

The BAA targets research and development for space-based sensing and protection, with an emphasis on payload-related technologies and supporting disciplines that can transition into space mission payloads. The intent is to enable improved detection, tracking, characterization, and defensive functionality in contested or complex operational environments.

5) What technical areas are included in the BAA scope?

The stated focus areas include phenomenology, advanced focal plane components and arrays, cryogenic systems, passive and active surveillance concepts, and protection capabilities intended to improve survivability or resilience of space systems.

6) What does "phenomenology" mean in the context of this BAA?

Within this BAA, phenomenology refers to understanding and modeling observable physical signatures and environments relevant to sensing. This includes characterizing signatures and conditions that influence how sensors detect and interpret targets or events in space-related operational environments.

7) What are "advanced focal plane components and arrays" in this program?

These are sensor detector technologies and readout approaches intended to improve performance attributes such as sensitivity, resolution, or spectral coverage. The BAA highlights these as a key technology area for improving space-based sensing payloads.

8) Why are cryogenic systems part of the scope?

Cryogenic systems are included because cooling approaches can be necessary to enable high-performance sensors in space. The BAA specifically calls out cryogenic systems as a technology area supporting advanced payload performance.

9) What is meant by passive and active surveillance concepts?

Passive surveillance concepts generally involve sensors that observe without emitting energy, while active surveillance concepts involve systems that actively illuminate or interrogate targets. The BAA includes both approaches as potential payload concepts under space-based sensing and protection.

10) What does "protection capabilities" refer to in this BAA?

Protection capabilities refer to technologies intended to improve the survivability or resilience of space systems. In practice, this aligns to defensive or protective functionality for space payloads and related systems operating in challenging environments.

11) What is the anticipated funding level for the program?

AFRL anticipated a program-level funding profile of roughly $13.6 million per fiscal year across FY07 through FY11, but this amount is explicitly described as an estimate rather than a guarantee and can shift due to budget changes.

12) What is the maximum award ceiling shown in the listing?

The posted listing reflects a potential overall ceiling figure of $68,000,000. However, the BAA also notes that actual award sizes and quantities are driven by individual CALLs and the availability of funds.

13) How are actual award amounts determined?

Actual award sizes, quantities, and funding ranges are defined in each individual CALL. The umbrella BAA provides the overall framework, but the CALL establishes the specific funding plan and constraints for that topic.

14) How long do projects typically last?

Projects are described as typically running anywhere from 6 to 60 months, depending on the effort. The specific performance period for any topic is expected to be stated in the applicable CALL.

15) How many awards will be made?

AFRL anticipated making at least one award per CALL, but also retained discretion to make multiple awards or no awards for any given CALL based on proposal quality, relevance, and funding availability.

16) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning proposals may be submitted by a wide range of entity types, subject to any constraints stated in a given CALL.

17) Is cost sharing required?

No. The listing states that cost sharing was not required.

18) Where are CALLs posted, and how should offerors monitor for updates?

Offerors are expected to monitor both FedBizOpps/EPS (historically at fbo.gov) and Grants.gov. The announcement notes that CALLs and amendments may appear on either system and references past issues with timely posting on Grants.gov.

19) Can proposals be submitted to the baseline BAA without an active CALL?

No. Proposals are only accepted in response to issued CALLs, not in response to the baseline BAA document.

20) What rules apply if a proposal is submitted late?

When CALLs are released, late proposal handling follows the applicable FAR provisions cited in the BAA. The specific CALL governs the submission deadline and related instructions.

21) What NAICS code is associated with this announcement?

The NAICS code associated with the announcement is 541710.

22) What acquisition approach is referenced for competitive selection?

The acquisition is conducted under FAR 6.102(d)(2), which supports competitive selection of research proposals. Awards made under CALLs are treated as the result of full and open competition consistent with the Competition in Contracting Act framework.

23) What types of award instruments might AFRL use under this BAA?

AFRL may use a mix of instruments depending on the work proposed, including standard FAR-based procurement contracts (with an expectation that many awards may be cost-plus-fixed-fee, completion-type contracts requiring adequate cost accounting systems), assistance mechanisms such as grants and cooperative agreements, and potentially Other Transaction (OT) authority for prototype efforts or research.

24) Does AFRL reserve flexibility to use other mechanisms beyond contracts and grants?

Yes. The Air Force reserves the ability to use Other Transaction authority and may consider other technology transfer mechanisms when appropriate, to better match the contracting approach to technical risk, collaboration needs, and transition path.

25) What CFDA program alignments are listed for this opportunity?

The listing includes CFDA 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program) and CFDA 12.910 (Research and Technology Development).

26) When was this opportunity posted, and what were the listed closing and archive dates?

The administrative details show the opportunity was posted in late February 2009, with a closing date in May 2012 and an archive date in June 2012.

27) Why does the BAA mention an earlier number (VS 06 06)?

The BAA was originally publicized under a prior number (VS 06 06) and later renumbered (VS 07 07) to align with the fiscal year of release.

28) Who manages the technical scope and who executes contracting for this BAA?

The information indicates separate technical and contracting points of contact: a technical POC within AFRL/VSSS at Kirtland AFB and contracting personnel within AFRL/PKVS. This reflects the typical separation between technical scope management and contracting execution in BAA-driven research programs.

29) What is the overall purpose of structuring the BAA as a standing framework with periodic CALLs?

The purpose is to maintain a continuous, open-ended framework for AFRL to source and compete advanced space sensing and protection research ideas through periodic, tightly scoped CALLs, rather than running a single one-time solicitation.