TACTICAL Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

The Air Force Research Laboratory Directed Energy Directorate issues a five‑year Broad Agency Announcement (FA9451‑24‑S‑0001) to fund basic, applied, and advanced‑component research in directed‑energy technologies. The BAA is open to all firms (no size restriction) and is structured around fourteen Topic‑Area Groups (such as Laser Sources, Aero‑Effects, HPEM, AI for Space Domain Awareness, and Wargaming). Calls are issued annually (or as needed) and each Call defines a specific technical need, required deliverables, and a Rough Order‑of‑Magnitude (ROM) cost estimate. Proposals are evaluated first on technical merit, then on cost, with contract types ranging from Cost‑Plus‑Fixed‑Fee to Firm‑Fixed‑Price. No proposals are accepted against the overarching BAA; only against individual Calls. The program anticipates roughly $499 million in total funding over FY 2024‑FY 2028, with a minimum of one award per Call and the possibility of multiple awards. All awardees must be registered in SAM, comply with security and S&T protection requirements, and submit annual certifications. • Research focus: Directed‑energy, laser systems, high‑power electromagnetics, space domain awareness, AI, modeling & simulation, and related wargaming. • Funding: Estimated $100 M per fiscal year, total $499 M; awards are competitive and sized based on the specific Call. • Eligibility: Open to U.S. entities of any size; small‑business size standard ≤1,000 employees. Must have a DCAA‑approved accounting system for cost‑type contracts. • Submission process: Executive Summary → White Paper → Full Proposal (via Valid Eval portal). Annual recertification for TAG membership is required. • Compliance: Requires SAM registration, annual representations & certifications, SF‑424 senior/key‑person profile, and Security Program Questionnaire.