U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) X-Labs Initiative

The NSF X‑Labs initiative invites domestic entities to form full‑time, autonomous R&D teams (“X‑Labs”) that will develop novel platform technologies capable of reshaping entire scientific fields or technology sectors. Funding is provided through milestone‑based Other Transaction (OT) contracts, with a Phase 0 preparatory award of up to $1.5 M (9‑12 months) followed by a Phase 1 award of up to $50 M per year (24‑36 months) and possible extensions into Phase 2/3. Proposals must be concise (max 8 pages), include a conflict‑of‑interest statement, and demonstrate team qualifications, autonomy, and a clear mission. The solicitation is open‑ended with no calendar deadline listed; interested parties must monitor NSF postings for specific topic announcements and submission windows. • Funding mechanism: Other Transaction contracts, milestone‑based, up to $1.5 M for Phase 0 and $50 M/yr for Phase 1. • Eligibility: Any U.S. domestic responsible entity registered in SAM; senior/key personnel must be full‑time and not from prohibited countries. • Requirements: Detailed mission statement, technology landscape analysis, outcomes, governance/autonomy plan, IP and research‑security plans, and a concise written proposal (≤ 8 pages). • Evaluation: Equal weighting of team qualifications/autonomy and mission clarity/outcomes; two‑stage review (written then oral).