Unicorn Blue

The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Research Laboratory established Unicorn Blue, a multiple-award Master IDIQ for research, development, enhancement, and integration of digital signal processing technologies to detect and exploit radio frequency spectrum emissions and emerging signals of interest, on July 16, 2021, with a shared ceiling of $49.9 million and ordering authority through July 15, 2026. Ordering under the vehicle closed one day ago; no new task orders may be placed.

The vehicle is fully set aside for Total Small Business at the vehicle level. Deliverables include technical documentation, technical reports, software, hardware, and real-time processing solutions. Work is performed for the Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate at Rome, New York, and includes development of prototypes for rapid fielding and transition to address current and emerging requirements. Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee pricing applies to all orders.

Fourteen task orders totaling $118.8 million in combined potential value have been awarded, with $88.8 million obligated (75% of potential). Award velocity peaked in 2021 with four orders, declined to one in 2023, then stabilized at three orders per year in 2024 and 2025. The most recent award, issued September 22, 2025, to expand government test facilities and capabilities for next-generation communications waveforms, carries a ceiling of $11.98 million with $1.1 million obligated.

North Point Defense Inc. dominates the prime base, holding seven orders worth $64.3 million in combined potential value—roughly 54% of the vehicle's total. General Atomics Integrated Intelligence, Inc., Black River Systems Company, Inc., and Geon Technologies LLC hold the remaining four awards. Approximately 93% of task orders fund Air Force Research Laboratory programs, with secondary demand from Air Force Materiel Command Aeronautical Systems Center, Air Force Air Education and Training Command, and Army Materiel Command Research Development and Engineering Command. Typical task-order ceilings range from $3.9 million to $24.3 million; completion dates extend into 2028.

The Air Force Research Laboratory, Information Directorate, Rome NY (AFRL/RI) has a requirement for research, development, enhancement, and integration of technologies to develop digital signal processing capabilities that will scan through the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum to detect high priority emissions, as well as research, develop and integrate technologies that will provide collection, detection, exploitation and geo-location capabilities of emerging signals of interest to various collection platforms. The work will include providing real-time processing solutions and expanding the unique knowledge and experience base to automatically extract the contents of the transmissions and provide time-critical alerts and information on the signals collected. Additionally, this effort will develop prototypes that can be rapidly fielded, upgraded and transitioned to address current and emerging requirements.