Opportunity Information: Apply for BAA RDK 2012 0001
Apply for BAA RDK 2012 0001
- The Air Force Research Lab in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "University Small Grants Broad Agency Announcement" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.800 Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 17, 2013 and posted on Apr 3, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 1, 2017. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $4,500,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $100,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
The University Small Grants Broad Agency Announcement (BAA RDK 2012 0001) is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) funding opportunity that supports merit-based, competitive research and development proposals, with a heavy focus on directed energy and closely related enabling technologies. It is listed under CFDA 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program) and is categorized as a discretionary grant for science and technology R&D. The opportunity anticipates making about five awards, with an estimated total funding of $4.5 million across the program. Individual awards can be up to $100,000 (no stated minimum award floor), and there is no cost sharing or matching requirement. The posting date is April 3, 2012, and the closing date shown is April 1, 2017. While the title suggests a university-oriented program, the eligibility field is marked as unrestricted, but applicants still must meet the BAA's stated threshold eligibility requirements and follow the instructions precisely to be evaluated.
This notice also reflects Amendment 3, which primarily updates administrative and compliance details rather than changing the overall purpose of the BAA. The amendment updates the Directed Energy Core Technology Competencies (CTCs) points of contact, changes the grant specialist and grants officer points of contact, updates the program manager information, and adds a requirement for a public purpose statement. It also replaces outdated budget proposal instructions, updates the administrative access to proprietary information documentation (including how proprietary material may be handled during administration), and updates the representation requirements related to unpaid delinquent federal tax liability or felony conviction under federal law. In addition, the announcement clarifies that the government plans to use support contractors (CCG, Universal Technology Corporation, and Contract Allocation Services) for administrative purposes associated with awarding and managing grants; these contractor personnel are required to sign nondisclosure agreements and are restricted to using application information only for administration.
On the technical side, AFRL identifies four Directed Energy Core Technology Competency areas that proposals may address. The first is Laser Systems, covering solid-state, fiber, semiconductor, short-pulse, and advanced chemical/gas/hybrid laser technologies aimed at scalable high-energy laser devices for airborne tactical/strategic uses and ground-based concepts. The second is Directed Energy Electro-Optics for Space Situational Awareness, including optical components and coatings, imaging technologies, beam control, atmospheric compensation, and pointing/tracking. The third is High Power Electromagnetics, including high power microwave generation and transmission, electronic system susceptibility and vulnerability, and broader pulsed power and beam/plasma physics relevant to defense applications. The fourth is Weapons Modeling and Simulation, which focuses on improving understanding of HPM, lasers, beam control, and SSA through effects research and multi-level modeling and simulation tools, including high-performance computing and advanced numerical methods.
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by an authorized institutional representative registered in the system, and the applicant is expected to notify the grants specialist immediately after submitting to confirm receipt. There is no stated limit on the number of proposals an applicant may submit, as long as the government point of contact has confirmed interest and that funding is available. The required application package is tightly constrained and designed for small, stand-alone submissions: an SF-424 (R&R) cover page plus a cover letter referencing the BAA number, a unique proposer-generated ID, the relevant technology area, technical and contracting contacts, and a CAGE code, signed by an authorized official. The technical proposal is limited to three pages (not counting bibliography/citations) and must clearly explain objectives, approach, relationship to related work elsewhere, and expected results. A separate one-page Statement of Work is required and is especially important because it will be incorporated into the award in place of the full technical proposal; it should be task-oriented, use active verbs, and avoid proprietary information.
The budget package is limited to ten pages and must follow Attachment A, AFRL Det 8 instructions for preparing assistance budgets. These instructions are relatively detailed and emphasize transparency, traceability, and support for the basis of estimate. Applicants must provide cost tables (Tables 1 through 4) covering the entire period of performance, typically in Excel with formulas intact, and include narrative explanations for direct labor roles, rate development, escalation, and indirect rate bases and justification. If lower-tier entities (subrecipients/subcontractors, interorganizational transfers, consultants) are involved, the prime must obtain their budgets by the closing date, present a summary list, and document that some form of cost/price analysis was performed; the guidance also highlights competitive selection expectations or the justification needed for sole-source arrangements, as well as efforts to provide small and disadvantaged businesses opportunities to compete. Travel and materials must be itemized if proposed. A key constraint is that no profit or fee will be paid under this grant. The proposal should also include a program execution schedule with objectives/goals and major milestones over the period of performance.
AFRL states that it will evaluate eligible proposals using merit-based criteria in descending order of importance: (1) the technical merits of the proposed R&D, (2) the potential relationship of the work to Department of Defense missions, and (3) cost. Compliance matters are also emphasized throughout: proposals must substantially follow the submission instructions and page limits, or they can be rejected without review. Applicants are instructed to mark any data they do not want disclosed to the public or used beyond evaluation purposes.
Reporting and governance requirements are also spelled out. A final performance report is due 45 days after the technical end of the grant, and the authority for the program is tied to 10 U.S.C. 2358 and the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs), including references such as 22.205(a)(2) and 22.315 for competitive, merit-based assistance awards to institutions of higher education. Points of contact are provided for technical and grants administration, including the baseline technical contact (Holly Victorson at Kirtland AFB) and grants contacts (including Grants Specialists Amanda Qualls and Adrian Martinez, and Grants Officer Deborah A. McGrath). The announcement also provides contact guidance for applicants who have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the University Small Grants Broad Agency Announcement (BAA RDK 2012 0001)?
It is an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) funding opportunity for merit-based, competitive research and development (R&D) proposals. The program emphasizes directed energy research and closely related enabling technologies. It is listed under CFDA 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program) and is categorized as a discretionary science and technology R&D grant opportunity.
2. Which agency is offering this funding opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).
3. What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
CFDA 12.800 (Air Force Defense Research Sciences Program).
4. How many awards does AFRL expect to make?
AFRL anticipates making about five awards.
5. What is the estimated total program funding?
The estimated total funding across the program is $4.5 million.
6. What is the maximum award amount per project?
Individual awards can be up to $100,000.
7. Is there a minimum award amount?
No minimum award floor is stated in the information provided.
8. Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement.
9. When was this opportunity posted, and when does it close?
The posting date is April 3, 2012, and the closing date shown is April 1, 2017.
10. Who is eligible to apply?
The eligibility field is marked as unrestricted. However, applicants must still meet the BAA's stated threshold eligibility requirements and must follow the BAA instructions precisely in order to be evaluated.
11. Does the title mean only universities can apply?
The title suggests a university-oriented program, but the eligibility field is shown as unrestricted. Regardless, applicants must satisfy the BAA threshold eligibility requirements and submission instructions to be considered.
12. What is Amendment 3, and what does it change?
Amendment 3 mainly updates administrative and compliance details rather than changing the overall purpose of the BAA. It updates points of contact (including Directed Energy Core Technology Competencies contacts, grant specialist/officer contacts, and program manager information), adds a requirement for a public purpose statement, replaces outdated budget proposal instructions, updates administrative access documentation for proprietary information, and updates certain representation requirements regarding unpaid delinquent federal tax liability or felony conviction under federal law.
13. What new requirement related to purpose was added in Amendment 3?
Amendment 3 adds a requirement for a public purpose statement.
14. How does the BAA handle proprietary information in proposals?
Applicants are instructed to mark any data they do not want disclosed to the public or used beyond evaluation purposes. The amendment also updates the administrative access documentation describing how proprietary material may be handled during grant administration.
15. Will support contractors have access to my application?
The announcement states the government plans to use support contractors (CCG, Universal Technology Corporation, and Contract Allocation Services) for administrative purposes associated with awarding and managing grants. Contractor personnel are required to sign nondisclosure agreements and are restricted to using application information only for administration.
16. What technical areas does AFRL want proposals to address?
AFRL identifies four Directed Energy Core Technology Competency (CTC) areas:
- Laser Systems
- Directed Energy Electro-Optics for Space Situational Awareness
- High Power Electromagnetics
- Weapons Modeling and Simulation
17. What topics are included under the Laser Systems competency area?
Laser Systems includes solid-state, fiber, semiconductor, short-pulse, and advanced chemical/gas/hybrid laser technologies. The focus is on scalable high-energy laser devices for airborne tactical/strategic uses and ground-based concepts.
18. What topics are included under Directed Energy Electro-Optics for Space Situational Awareness?
This area includes optical components and coatings, imaging technologies, beam control, atmospheric compensation, and pointing/tracking.
19. What topics are included under High Power Electromagnetics?
This area includes high power microwave (HPM) generation and transmission, electronic system susceptibility and vulnerability, and broader pulsed power and beam/plasma physics relevant to defense applications.
20. What topics are included under Weapons Modeling and Simulation?
This area focuses on improving understanding of HPM, lasers, beam control, and space situational awareness through effects research and multi-level modeling and simulation tools. It also includes high-performance computing and advanced numerical methods.
21. How must applications be submitted?
Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by an authorized institutional representative registered in the system.
22. Is there any required step after submitting in Grants.gov?
Yes. The applicant is expected to notify the grants specialist immediately after submitting to confirm receipt.
23. Is there a limit on how many proposals an applicant can submit?
No stated limit is provided, as long as the government point of contact has confirmed interest and confirmed that funding is available.
24. What forms and components are required in the application package?
The package is described as tightly constrained and includes:
- SF-424 (R&R) cover page
- A cover letter with specific required elements
- A technical proposal (page-limited)
- A separate one-page Statement of Work (SOW)
- A budget package (page-limited) following Attachment A instructions
- A program execution schedule with objectives/goals and major milestones
25. What must be included in the cover letter?
The cover letter must reference the BAA number and include: a unique proposer-generated ID, the relevant technology area, technical and contracting contacts, and a CAGE code. It must be signed by an authorized official.
26. How long can the technical proposal be?
The technical proposal is limited to three pages, not counting bibliography/citations.
27. What must the technical proposal cover?
It must clearly explain objectives, the technical approach, the relationship to related work elsewhere, and expected results.
28. Is a Statement of Work (SOW) required, and what are the constraints?
Yes. A separate one-page Statement of Work is required. It is especially important because it will be incorporated into the award in place of the full technical proposal. It should be task-oriented, use active verbs, and avoid proprietary information.
29. How long can the budget package be?
The budget package is limited to ten pages.
30. What budget preparation rules apply?
The budget must follow Attachment A (AFRL Det 8 instructions for preparing assistance budgets). The guidance emphasizes transparency, traceability, and support for the basis of estimate. It also requires cost tables (Tables 1 through 4) covering the entire period of performance, typically provided in Excel with formulas intact, plus narrative explanations (for example, labor roles, rate development, escalation, and indirect rate bases and justification).
31. Are there special requirements if subrecipients, subcontractors, consultants, or other lower-tier entities are involved?
Yes. The prime applicant must obtain lower-tier budgets by the closing date, present a summary list, and document that some form of cost/price analysis was performed. The guidance also highlights expectations for competitive selection or the justification needed for sole-source arrangements, as well as efforts to provide small and disadvantaged businesses opportunities to compete.
32. Do travel and materials need to be detailed?
Yes. Travel and materials must be itemized if they are proposed.
33. Can profit or fee be included in the budget?
No. A key constraint is that no profit or fee will be paid under this grant.
34. What is required for the program execution schedule?
The proposal should include a program execution schedule that shows objectives/goals and major milestones over the period of performance.
35. How will AFRL evaluate proposals?
AFRL states it will evaluate eligible proposals using merit-based criteria in descending order of importance:
- Technical merits of the proposed R&D
- Potential relationship of the work to Department of Defense missions
- Cost
36. Can a proposal be rejected for formatting or compliance issues?
Yes. Compliance is emphasized: proposals must substantially follow the submission instructions and page limits, or they can be rejected without review.
37. What reporting is required if an award is made?
A final performance report is due 45 days after the technical end of the grant.
38. What legal/regulatory authority is cited for this grant program?
The authority is tied to 10 U.S.C. 2358 and the Department of Defense Grant and Agreement Regulations (DoDGARs), including references such as 22.205(a)(2) and 22.315 for competitive, merit-based assistance awards to institutions of higher education.
39. Who are the points of contact listed for technical and grants administration?
The notice provides points of contact including the baseline technical contact Holly Victorson (Kirtland AFB) and grants contacts including Grants Specialists Amanda Qualls and Adrian Martinez, and Grants Officer Deborah A. McGrath.
40. What should applicants do if they cannot access the full announcement electronically?
The announcement provides contact guidance for applicants who have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically.
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