Space Electronics Open 5 Year Broad Agency Announcement | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Space Electronics Open 5 Year Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), number BAA VS 06 05, is a long-running solicitation from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Space Vehicles Directorate, aimed at funding research that advances the state of space-qualified electronics. The core purpose is to push performance and reliability for electronics used in space missions while narrowing or eliminating the traditional gap between what is possible with terrestrial electronics versus what can survive and operate in the space environment. The announcement emphasizes breakthroughs across the full electronics chain, including new materials, device concepts, fabrication processes, packaging approaches, and system architectures. A second major theme is affordability and availability: the Air Force is explicitly interested in making high-performance space electronics easier to access and less expensive to field. The BAA also highlights simplifying complex system implementation through advances in reconfigurable concepts, electronic devices, and architectures, which signals interest in adaptable, multi-mission, or software-defined style hardware solutions where appropriate.

This is an open-ended, five-year umbrella BAA rather than a single one-time grant competition. A key operational detail is that proposals are not submitted against the baseline BAA itself. Instead, AFRL planned to release periodic topic-specific “CALL” announcements during the five-year window, posted through FedBizOps (now SAM.gov legacy replacement, though the text references FedBizOps/EPS) and Grants.gov/FIND. Those CALLS would define the specific research problem, the expected period of performance, any special instructions unique to that topic, and an expected funding range for proposals submitted under that CALL. Each CALL would also set its own due date and time, and late submissions would be handled under the applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation clause (FAR 52.215-1(c)(3)). In other words, the baseline BAA establishes the program and rules of the road, while the CALLs function as the real entry points for proposing specific work.

Funding is described at the program level rather than as a guarantee for any individual award. The BAA lists an estimated funding profile of about $30 million per year for fiscal years 2007 through 2011 (roughly $150 million total across the five-year span), but it is clear that these figures are planning estimates only, not contractual commitments, and may change due to budget availability and Air Force priorities. The Grants.gov metadata associated with the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $150,000,000 and an award floor of $0, reinforcing that the overall program could be sizable while individual awards could vary widely. The expected period of performance for awards under the BAA ranges from as short as 6 months to as long as 60 months, allowing AFRL to support everything from quick feasibility demonstrations to multi-year applied research and prototyping efforts.

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning the opportunity is broadly open to qualified performers (industry, universities, nonprofit organizations, and others), subject to any constraints that might appear in individual CALLs. The BAA references NAICS 541710 with a size standard of 1000 employees and states the acquisition is unrestricted (not set aside for small business). The competitive framework is explicitly tied to FAR 6.102(d)(2), the research and development competitive selection approach used for BAAs, and proposals selected under CALLs are treated as the result of full and open competition consistent with the Competition in Contracting Act.

AFRL also leaves flexibility in how it makes awards. Depending on what a given research effort requires, the government may use procurement contracts (including various FAR-based contract types), grants, cooperative agreements, Other Transaction (OT) agreements for prototype or research, or potentially other technology transfer mechanisms. While multiple instrument types are possible, the BAA notes an expectation that awards will generally be cost-plus-fixed-fee, completion-type contracts. That matters for prospective performers because it implies they may need an accounting system acceptable for tracking and reporting project costs in a way that complies with government contracting standards. The Air Force anticipates at least one award per CALL but reserves the right to make multiple awards or no awards depending on proposal quality, relevance, and available funds.

For engagement and administration, the baseline technical point of contact is Mr. Marc E. Owens at AFRL/VSSE, located at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Contracting contacts listed are Mr. Teofilo Bautista Jr. (Contract Specialist) and Ms. Shirley D. Lindom (Contracting Officer), also at Kirtland AFB. The BAA repeatedly stresses that potential offerors must monitor both FedBizOps/EPS and Grants.gov/FIND for amendments and CALL releases, noting prior issues with timely postings on Grants.gov and advising dual monitoring to avoid missing opportunities.

Finally, as captured in the posting details, the opportunity was posted on February 18, 2009, with an original and current closing date of November 17, 2011, and an archive date of December 17, 2011. That timeline indicates the BAA is historically closed, but the structure described is still useful as a model for how AFRL BAAs operate: a broad program announcement paired with targeted CALLs that define the actual proposal requirements, schedules, and funding bands.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Air Force Research Lab

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: Space Components Technology Open 5 Year Broad Agency Announcement

Previous opportunity: Water Conservation Field Services Program LCRA

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for BAA VS 06 05

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (BAA VS 06 05) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "BAA VS 06 05", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.