26-04 synopsis v5.pdf

FEB 2026 Revision

NAICS CODE: 541715

FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information & Spectrum Warfare Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514

ARA ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial Announcement

ADVANCED RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT (ARA) TITLE: Alternate Access for Cyber Applications: Exodus

ARA NUMBER: FA8750-26-S-7004

PART I – OVERVIEW INFORMATION

This announcement is for an Open, two step ARA which is open and effective until 6:00PM EST on 30 June 2031. Only white papers will be accepted as initial submissions; formal proposals will be accepted by invitation only. While white papers will be considered if received prior to 6:00pm Eastern Standard Time (EST) on 30 SEP 2030, the following submission dates are suggested to best align with projected funding:

FY27 by 30 Sep 2026 FY28 by 30 Sep 2027 FY29 by 30 Sep 2028 FY30 by 30 Sep 2029 FY31 by 30 Dec 2030

Offerors should monitor the Contract Opportunities on the SAM website at https://SAM.gov in the event this announcement is amended.

CONCISE SUMMARY OF TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENT: Seeking to develop offensive cyberspace operations (OCO) alternate access cyber capability prototypes in support of Long Range Kill Chains (LRKC) that could transition into Department of War (DoW) operational organizations to facilitate gaining adversary infrastructure access that would otherwise not be possible through traditional cyber capabilities ensuring our Nation’s superiority in the Cyber Domain.

ARA ESTIMATED FUNDING: Total funding for this ARA is approximately $999M. Individual awards will not normally exceed sixty (60) months with dollar amounts normally ranging from $10M to $50M. There is also the potential to make awards up to $99.99M.

ANTICIPATED INDIVIDUAL AWARDS: Multiple Awards are anticipated. However, the Air Force reserves the right to award zero, one, or more Procurement Contracts/Other Transactions, for all, some, or none of the solicited effort based on the offeror’s ability to perform desired work and funding fluctuations. There is no limit on the number of OTs that may be awarded to an individual offeror.

TYPE OF INSTRUMENTS THAT MAY BE AWARDED: FAR based procurement contracts or other transactions (OT) under 10 USC 4021, 10 USC 4022 and 10 USC 4023 (previously 10 USC 4002, 2371, 10 USC 4003, 2371b and 4004, 2373) https://sam.gov/

In the event that an Other Transaction for Prototype agreement is awarded as a result of this competitive ARA, and the prototype project is successfully completed, there is the potential for a prototype project to transition to award of a follow-on production contract or transaction. The Other Transaction for Prototype agreement itself will also contain a similar notice of a potential follow-on production contract or agreement.

AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION: All white paper submissions and any questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area):

ARA PROGRAM MANAGER:

Thomas Parisi

AFRL/RFGD

525 Brooks Rd Rome, NY 13441-4505 Telephone: (315) 315-832-4041 Email: afrl.rf.hellfire@us.af.mil

Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below (email requests are preferred):

Amber Buckley Email: Amber.Buckley@us.af.mil

Emails must reference the solicitation ARA number and title of the acquisition.

Pre-Proposal Communication between Prospective Offerors and Government Representatives:

Dialogue between prospective offerors and Government representatives is encouraged. Technical and contracting questions can be resolved in writing or through open discussions. Discussions with any of the points of contact shall not constitute a commitment by the Government to subsequently fund or award any proposed effort. Only Contracting Officers are legally authorized to commit the Government.

Offerors are cautioned that evaluation ratings may be lowered and/or proposal rejected if proposal preparation (Proposal format, content, etc.) and/or submittal instructions are not followed.

PART II – FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT

ADVANCED RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT (ARA) TITLE: Alternate Access for Cyber Applications: Exodus

ARA NUMBER: FA8750-26-S-7004

Assistance Listing Number: 12.800 and 12.910

Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act (FASCSA) Orders: Depending on the date of issuance of this solicitation, FASCSA order(s) may be applicable. Therefore, the Offeror shall search for the phrase mailto:afrl.rf.hellfire@us.af.mil mailto:Amber.Buckley@us.af.mil

“FASCSA order” in the System for Award Management (SAM) (https://www.sam.gov) for any covered article, or any products or services produced or provided by a source, if there is an applicable Federal Acquisition Supply Chain Security Act Orders prohibition. This requirement only applies to FAR based awards.

I. TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS:

The Air Force Research Laboratory is soliciting white papers under this Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) to research, design, develop, implement, and refine next-generation OCO alternate access cyber capabilities employed by SOF and SOF supporting organizations in support of LRKC operational activities to advance the nation’s ability to prepare and fight wars in contested and/or disconnected adversarial environments, as well as to build enduring advantages in Cyberspace. This includes both cyber platforms and cyber weaponry.

The Internet enables global connectivity, communication, and innovation. It has brought increased prosperity to the United States, inaugurating new industries and revitalizing old ones. It has also helped to ensure the superiority of the Joint Force, strengthening our ability to coordinate and quickly adapt to dynamic circumstances. In this decisive decade, the success of our Nation depends upon a free, open, and secure cyberspace. However, in disconnected and/or contested adversarial environments, the ability to engage malicious actors through traditional cyberspace is very limited if not impossible for traditional cyber forces often requiring the use of deployed forces to employ alternate access cyber capabilities.

The Department of Defense’s (DoD) experiences have shown that cyber capabilities held in reserve or employed in isolation render little deterrent effect on their own. Instead, these military capabilities are most effective when used in concert with other instruments of national power, creating a deterrent greater than the sum of its parts. In this way, cyberspace operations in concert between special operations personnel and special operations supporting organizations represent an indispensable element of United States and Allied military strength and form a core component of integrated deterrence.

The DoD will also use cyberspace operations through OCO alternate access capabilities supporting LRKC operations in contested and/or disconnected environments for the purpose of campaigning, undertaking actions to limit, frustrate, or disrupt adversaries' activities below the level of armed conflict and to achieve favorable security conditions. By persistently engaging malicious cyber actors and other malign threats to United States interests in cyberspace, United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) will support Department-wide campaigns in concert to strengthen deterrence and gain advantages. As USSOCOM and USCYBERCOM campaigns in cyberspace within disconnected and/or contested environments, the Department will remain closely attuned to adversary perceptions and will manage the risk of unintended escalation.

Among multiple lines of effort that are identified in the DoD’s most recent cyber strategy, two are particularly relevant to this solicitation:

“Prepare to Fight and Win the Nation's Wars. The Department will campaign in and through cyberspace to advance Joint Force objectives. We will ensure the cybersecurity of the Department of Defense Information Network (DODIN) and conduct defensive cyberspace operations in order to protect it. The Department will enhance the cyber resilience of the Joint Force and ensure its ability to fight in and through contested and congested cyberspace. We will utilize the unique characteristics of cyberspace to meet the Joint Force's requirements and https://www.sam.gov/ generate asymmetric advantages.”

“Build Enduring Advantages in Cyberspace. The Department will pursue institutional reforms to build advantages that will persist for decades to come. We will optimize the organizing, training, and equipping of the Cyberspace Operations Forces and Service-retained cyber forces. We will ensure the availability of timely and actionable intelligence in support of cyberspace operations and explore the intersection of emerging technologies and cyber capabilities. We will foster a culture of cybersecurity and cyber awareness, investing in the education, training, and knowledge development of personnel across the defense enterprise.”

-2023 Summary, Cyber Strategy, US Department of Defense

The purpose of this Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) is to research, design, develop, implement, and refine next-generation OCO alternate access cyber capabilities supporting LRKC operational activities that will be employed by United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) units and special operations supporting organizations to advance the nation’s ability to prepare and fight wars as well as to build enduring advantages in Cyberspace found in disconnected and/or contested environments. This includes both cyber platforms and cyber weaponry.

The scope and direction of this ARA are derived from these as follows:

Preparing to win the nations wars - Capabilities researched, designed, developed, implemented, and refined under this Advanced Research Announcement will allow for:

-Support to joint campaigns in and through cyberspace leveraging OCO alternate access capabilities supporting the LRKC operational activities within disconnected and/or contested environments to reinforce deterrence objectives while achieving informational and military advantages. Adversaries of the United States will be made to doubt the efficacy of their military capabilities as well as the belief that they can conduct unattributed coercive actions against the United States. As the DoD campaigns in cyberspace for this purpose, offensive options will be furnished to support the Joint Force so that it is ready to respond rapidly across the spectrum of conflict.

-The enhancement of cyber resilience of the Joint Force through development of OCO alternate access capabilities supporting the LRKC operational activities will ensure its ability to fight through contested and/or disconnected cyberspace environments. Prioritization will be given to those cyber capabilities that support the Joint Force's military mission assurance with commitment to training the force to operate amid network and warfighting platform degraded ability to operate within disconnected and/or contested areas of operation.

-The continual integration of state-of-the-art OCO alternate access capabilities supporting the LRKC operational activities to include cyber platforms and cyber weaponry. Further refinement of this approach, developing options that utilize the unique characteristics of cyberspace to meet the Joint Force's requirements and generate asymmetric advantages will occur throughout the lifecycle. This will include the pursuit of cross-domain effects for operational activities within disconnected and/or contested areas of operations.

Building Enduring Advantages in Cyberspace - State-of-the-art OCO alternate access capabilities supporting the LRKC operational activities, to include cyber platforms and cyber weaponry, researched, designed, developed, implemented, and refined under this Advanced Research Announcement will allow for:

-The prioritization of necessary reforms to meet the intelligence needs of the cyberspace operations community. State-of-the-art OCO alternate access capabilities requirements supporting LRKC operational activities will be addressed through continued improvements to the business practices, human capital management, and organization of the Defense Intelligence Enterprise. Barriers to information sharing will be reduced and broader access to technical data consistent with applicable law, policies and procedures facilitated. Addressing gaps, ambiguities, and policy issues to enable intelligence activities in support of cyberspace operations will be facilitated.

-The application and refinement state-of-the-art OCO alternate access capabilities supporting the LRKC operational activities to include cyber platforms and cyber weaponry. Technologies that can confound malicious cyber actors and prevent them from achieving their objectives in and through cyberspace from disconnected and/or contested areas of operations will be prioritized. These include high assurance architectures and their associated technologies, advanced endpoint monitoring capabilities, tailored data collection strategies, automated data analytics, and systems that enable network automation, network restoration, and network deception.

-The disruption and degradation of malicious cyber actors within disconnected and/or contested areas of operations will be achieved through forward deployed state-of-the-art OCO alternate access capabilities as part of the LRKC mission, to include cyber platforms and cyber weaponry, that will disrupt the activities of malicious cyber actors and degrading their supporting ecosystems. These operations will be primarily conducted by USSOCOM and subordinate organizations as well as SOF supporting organizations, leveraging its authorities (as well as at times USCYBERCOM authorities) and in close coordination with other departments and agencies. A number of such operations have been occurring under this policy since 2018. Lessons learned from these operations inform pursuit of new capabilities and shape approached to risk management. These operations will support the strategic approach outlined in the 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy, in which the Department's cyberspace operations may complement concurrent actions by the diplomatic, law enforcement, and intelligence communities, among others. Together, these actions will support a whole-of-Government effort to reduce the perceived and actual utility of malicious cyber activity and render cybercrime unprofitable.

Areas of Interest

Technologies of interest to the strategic vision of this ARA include, but are not limited to: state-of-the-art OCO alternate access capabilities supporting the LRKC operational activities, to include cyber platforms and cyber weaponry, for the facilitation of last mile cyber operations conducted in disconnected and/or contested environments, command and control capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, effects based capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, predictive analysis capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, cross domain capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, intelligence gathering capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, intelligence processing capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, stealth delivery capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, stealth and persistence capabilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments, and planning based utilities for the facilitation of cyber operations in disconnected and/or contested environments.

IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING:

1. REFERENCES TO THE FEDERAL ACQUISTION REGULATION (FAR) AND FAR

SUPPLEMENTS RELATED TO OT AWARDS. The requirements of Chapter 137 of Title 10 do not apply to the awards of OTs under this ARA per the statutory authority at 10 USC 4021 (previously 10 USC 4002, 2371) , 10 USC 4022 (previously 10 USC 4003, 2371b).

10 USC 4023 also allows for FAR based contracts, OTs for research, OTs for Prototype, and assistance instruments. Any references to the FAR or FAR Supplements are included in this ARA strictly for the sake of convenience (that is, in lieu of including the requirements in full text in this ARA), and are not to be construed to imply that the requirements of Chapter 137 of Title 10 as a whole apply to this ARA. This paragraph only applies to OT awards as a result of this ARA, not FAR based awards.

2. FUNDAMENTAL RESEARCH. As of the date of publication of this ARA, the Government does not anticipate work proposed under this ARA to be considered fundamental research.

Proposers should indicate in their proposal whether they believe the scope of the research included in their proposal is fundamental or not. While proposers should clearly explain the intended results of their research, the Government shall have sole discretion to select award instrument type and to negotiate all instrument terms and conditions with selectees. Appropriate clauses will be included in resultant awards for non-fundamental research to prescribe publication requirements and other restrictions, as appropriate.

For certain research projects, it may be possible that although the research being performed by the awardee is restricted research, a sub-awardee may be conducting fundamental research. In those cases, it is the awardee’s responsibility to explain in their proposal why its sub-awardee’s effort is fundamental research.

3. OTHER TRANSACTION FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS. Governed by 10 USC 4021 (previously 10 USC 4002, 2371). Research projects other than contracts, cooperative agreements and grants in carrying out basic, applied, and advanced research projects.

4. OTHER TRANSACTION FOR PROTOTYPE.

a. Governed by 10 USC 4022 (previously 10 USC 4003, 2371b). Under an OTP, the prototype agreement must be successfully completed in order to move on to follow-on production. Successful completion can occur prior to the conclusion of a prototype project to allow the Government to transition any aspect of the prototype project determined to provide utility into production while other aspects of the prototype project have yet to be completed

b. Governed by 10 USC 4023 (previously 10 USC 4004, 2373) when tied to experimental actions.* The white paper/proposal must cover the acquisition of “demonstrations, prototypes, products, supplies, parts, accessories, auxiliary services, and design for products or services, that the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary concerned considers necessary for experimental or test purposes in the development of the best supplies that are needed for the national defense”.

*10 USC 4023 also allows for FAR based contracts and OTs for Research or Prototype

5. CLOUD COMPUTING. In accordance with DFARS Clause 252.239-7010, if the development proposed requires storage of Government, or Government-related data on the cloud, offerors need to ensure that the cloud service provider proposed has been granted Provisional Authorization by the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) at the level appropriate to the requirement.

II. AWARD INFORMATION:

1. FUNDING: Total funding for this ARA is approximately $999M. The anticipated funding to be obligated under this ARA is broken out by fiscal year as follows:

FY26 - $200M

FY27 - $200M

FY28 - $200M

FY29 - $200M

FY30 - $199M

a. Individual awards will not normally exceed sixty (60) months with dollar amounts normally ranging from $10M to $50M. Awards under this solicitation will not exceed $99.99M.

b. The Government reserves the right to select all, part, or none of the proposals received, subject to the availability of funds. All potential Offerors should be aware that due to unanticipated budget fluctuations, funding in any or all areas may change with little or no notice.

2. FORM. Awards of efforts as a result of this announcement will be in the form of contracts or other transactions depending upon the nature of the work proposed.

3. ARA TYPE: This is a two-step open advanced research announcement. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation.

As STEP ONE – The Government is only soliciting white papers at this time. DO NOT SUBMIT A FORMAL PROPOSAL. Those white papers found to be consistent with the intent of this ARA may be invited to submit a technical and cost proposal. See Section VI of this announcement for further details regarding the proposal.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION:

1. ELIGIBILITY: All qualified offerors who meet the requirements of this ARA may apply.

2. FOREIGN PARTICIPATION/ACCESS:

a. This ARA is closed to foreign participation. This includes both foreign ownership and foreign nationals as employees or subcontractors.

b. Exceptions.

i. Fundamental Research. If the work to be performed is unclassified, fundamental research, this must be clearly identified in the white paper and/or proposal. See Part II, Section I for more details regarding Fundamental Research. Offerors should still identify any performance by foreign nationals at any level (prime contractor or subcontractor) in their proposals. Please specify the nationals’ country of origin, the type of visa or work permit under which they are performing and an explanation of their anticipated level of involvement. You may be asked to provide additional information during negotiations in order to verify the foreign citizen’s eligibility to participate on any contract or other transaction issued as a result of this announcement.

ii. Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) companies who have mitigation plans/paperwork in place. Proof of approved mitigation documentation must be provided to Amber Buckley, Contracting Officer, at Amber.Buckley@us.af.mil prior to submitting a white paper and/or a proposal. Defense Counterintelligence Security Agency (DCSA) approved mitigation documentation includes one of the following: Board Resolution; Security Control Agreement; Special Security Agreement; Proxy Agreement;

and Voting Trust Agreement. In addition to providing the approved mitigation documentation, also provide your CAGE Code and your fully executed DCSA cover letter. Expect at least 10 business days for the Government to review and verify FOCI mitigation documentation. Offerors who do not hold one of the above FOCI mitigation documents must work with DCSA to obtain mitigation documentation prior to being eligible under the BAA. For information on FOCI mitigation, contact DCSA.

Additional details can be found at: https://www.dcsa.mil/Industrial-Security/Entity- Vetting-Facility-Clearances-FOCI/Foreign-Ownership-Control-or-Influence/

iii. Foreign Nationals as Employees or Subcontractors. Applicable to any effort not considered Fundamental Research. Offerors are responsible for ensuring that all employees and/or subcontractors who will work on a resulting contract are eligible to do

so. Any employee who is not a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident will be restricted from working on any resultant contract unless prior approval of the Department of State or the Department of Commerce is obtained via a technical assistance agreement or an export license. Violations of these regulations can result in criminal or civil penalties.

c. Information Regarding Non-US Citizens Assigned to this Project

1. Contractor employees requiring access to USAF bases, AFRL facilities, and/or access to U.S. Government Information Technology (IT) networks in connection with the work on contracts or other transactions awarded under this ARA must be U.S. citizens. For the purpose of base and network access, possession of a permanent resident card ("Green Card") does not equate to U.S. citizenship. This requirement does not apply to foreign nationals approved by the U.S. Department of Defense or U.S. State Department under international personnel exchange agreements with foreign governments. It also does not apply to dual citizens who possess US citizenship, to include Naturalized citizens. Any waivers to this requirement must be granted in writing by the Contracting Officer prior to providing access. Specific format for waiver request will be provided upon request to the Contracting Officer. The above requirements are in addition to any other contract requirements related to obtaining a Common Access Card (CAC).

2. For the purposes of Paragraph 1, it an IT network/system does not require AFRL to endorse a contractor's application to said network/system in order to gain access, the organization operating the IT network/system is responsible for controlling access to its system. If an IT network/system requires a U.S. Government sponsor to endorse the mailto:Amber.Buckley@us.af.mil https://www.dcsa.mil/Industrial-Security/Entity-Vetting-Facility-Clearances-FOCI/Foreign-Ownership-Control-or-Influence/ https://www.dcsa.mil/Industrial-Security/Entity-Vetting-Facility-Clearances-FOCI/Foreign-Ownership-Control-or-Influence/ application in order for access to the IT network/system, AFRL will only endorse the following types of applications, consistent with the requirements above:

a) Contractor employees who are U.S. citizens performing work under contracts or other transactions awarded under this ARA.

b) Contractor employees who are non-U.S. citizens and who have been granted a waiver.

Any additional access restrictions established by the IT network/system owner apply.

3. FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND

GOVERNMENT ENTITIES: Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) and Government entities (e.g., Government/National laboratories, military educational institutions, etc.) are subject to applicable direct competition limitations and cannot propose to this BAA (or ARA) in any capacity unless they meet the following conditions:

a. FFRDCs: FFRDCs must clearly demonstrate that the proposed work is not otherwise available from the private sector; and FFRDCs must provide a letter on official letterhead from their sponsoring organization citing the specific authority establishing their eligibility to propose to Government solicitations and compete with industry, and their compliance with the associated FFRDC sponsor agreement’s terms and conditions. This information is required for FFRDCs proposing to be prime contractors or sub-awardees.

b. Government Entities: Government entities must clearly demonstrate that the work is not otherwise available from the private sector and provide written documentation citing the specific statutory authority and contractual authority, if relevant, establishing their ability to propose to Government solicitations. While 10 U.S.C.§ 2539b may be the appropriate statutory starting point for some entities, specific supporting regulatory guidance, together with evidence of agency approval, will still be required to fully establish eligibility.

FFRDC and Government entity eligibility will be determined on a case-by-case basis; however, the burden to prove eligibility for all team members rests solely with the proposer.

Government entities interested in performing work related to this announcement should contact the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC). If resulting discussions reveal a mutual interest, cooperation may be pursued via other vehicles.

4. ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: In accordance with FAR 9.5, offerors are required to identify and disclose all facts relevant to potential OCIs involving the offerors organization and any proposed team member (subawardee, consultant). Under this Section, the offeror is responsible for providing this disclosure with each proposal submitted to the solicitation. The disclosure must include the offerors, and as applicable, proposed team member’s OCI mitigation plan. The OCI mitigation plan must include a description of the actions the offeror has taken, or intends to take, to prevent the existence of conflicting roles that might bias the offerors judgment and to prevent the offeror from having unfair competitive advantage. The OCI mitigation plan will specifically discuss the disclosed OCI in the context of each of the OCI limitations outlined in FAR 9.505-1 through FAR 9.505-4.

a. Agency Supplemental OCI Policy: In addition, AFRL has a supplemental OCI policy that prohibits contractors/performers from concurrently providing Scientific Engineering Technical Assistance

(SETA), Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) or similar support services and being a technical performer. Therefore, as part of the FAR 9.5 disclosure requirement above, an offeror must affirm whether the offeror or any proposed team member (subawardee, consultant) is providing SETA, A&AS, or similar support to any AFRL office(s) under: (a) a current award or subaward; or (b) a past award or subaward that ended within one calendar year prior to the proposal’s submission date. If SETA, A&AS, or similar support is being or was provided to any AFRL office(s), the proposal must include:

• The name of the AFRL office receiving the support;

• The prime contract number;

• Identification of proposed team member (subawardee, consultant) providing the support; and

An OCI mitigation plan in accordance with FAR 9.5.

b. Government Procedures: In accordance with FAR 9.503, 9.504 and 9.506, the Government will evaluate OCI mitigation plans to avoid, neutralize or mitigate potential OCI issues before award and to determine whether it is in the Government’s interest to grant a waiver. The Government will only evaluate OCI mitigation plans for proposals that are determined selectable under the solicitation evaluation criteria and funding availability. The Government may require proposers to provide additional information to assist the Government in evaluating the offerors OCI mitigation plan. If the Government determines that an offeror failed to fully disclose an OCI; or failed to provide the affirmation of AFRL support as described above; or failed to reasonably provide additional information requested by the Government to assist in evaluating the proposer’s OCI mitigation plan, the Government may reject the proposal and withdraw it from consideration for award.

5. S&T PROTECTION.

I. Notice of Intent.

(a) Security Risk Review. Each proposal submission will be subject to a Security Risk Review prior to selection for award. The Security Risk Review is applied to federally funded research designed to help protect Department of the Air Force Science and Technology (S&T) by identifying possible vectors of undue foreign influence. AFRL will follow all policy and procedures outlined in Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Instruction AFRLI 61-113, Science and Technology Protection for the Air Force Research Laboratory and Department of the Air Force Instruction DAFI 63-101/20-101, Integrated Lifecycle Management.

(b) Security risk review for these subject proposals will be developed for all proposed Senior/Key personnel and “Covered Individuals”. These risk reviews will be based on information disclosed in a Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile and Security Questionnaire. In addition, any accompanying or referenced documents, publicly available information, and information contained in internal U.S. Government databases will be utilized in risk reviews. Nationality or citizenship is not a factor in the security risk reviews.

(c) When considering all external engagements, AFRL incorporates a holistic decision-making process that encompasses technical and security factors. The security review method implemented by AFRL measures risk factors to identify the appropriate Risk Acceptance Level (RAL) within the organization.

The objective analysis of the security risk factors is conducted to empower AFRL’s S&T leaders to make risk-informed decisions. The review process generally looks at five factors, or risk areas, but with authority for expanded review as noted in OSD R&E Memorandum dated 6 Jun 2023. The potential security risk factors are set forth below:

Potential security risk factors:

II. Actions Required by Applicants/Recipients at proposal submission.

(a) In accordance with AFRLI 61-113, S&T Protection, Applicants/Recipients are required to submit the following documentation with their proposal:

(1) Reserved

(2) Contract or Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) proposals:

(i) Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile Worksheet (See Appendix 3) AND;

(ii) Security Program Questionnaire (See Appendix 2) AND;

(iii) “Privacy Act Statement” consent form for each Covered Individual that is also signed by the Applicant/Recipient as that Individual’s Sponsor. (See “Covered Individual” section below, and Appendix 4)

The above appendices are included in the RI-Specific Proposal Preparation Instructions which can be accessed at: https://sam.gov/opp/5d5947ee115b4a49adc07d0bc4bc72e5/view . Always reference the latest versions of these documents. Complete and submit the required forms with your proposal to the technical point of contact (TPOC) listed in Section VII-Agency Contacts AND AFRL.RIOF@us.af.mil.

(3) In the event a security risk is identified, and the Government has determined the security risk exceeds the acceptable threshold, the Applicant/Recipient will be notified and informed of the decline of award. The Government will only provide a general statement of the reasoning due to Government OPSEC measures.

(4) By submission of the Research and Related Senior Key Person Profile and Security Program

Questionnaire, the Applicant/Recipient agrees to comply with the following:

(i) To certify that each covered individual who is listed on the application has been made aware:

1) of all relevant disclosure requirements, including the requirements of 42 U.S.C. § 6605; and 2) that false representations may be subject to prosecution and liability pursuant to, but not limited to, 18 U.S.C. §§287, 1001, 1031 and 31 U.S.C. §§ 3729-3733 and 3802. See National Science and Technology Council Guidance for Implementing National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) on National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development (January 2022).

(ii) To establish and maintain an internal process or procedure to address foreign talent programs, conflicts of commitment, conflicts of interest, and research integrity.

(iii) To exercise due diligence to identify Foreign Components or participation by Senior/Key

Personnel in Foreign Government Talent Recruitment Programs and agree to share such information with the Government upon request.

III. Actions Required by Covered Individuals.

(a) Covered Individual. An individual who contributes to a substantive, meaningful way to the scientific development or execution of a research and development project proposed to be carried out with a research and development award from a federal research agency; and is designated as a covered individual by the federal research agency concerned. See 42 U.S.C. § 6605, Definitions. (Note: For https://sam.gov/opp/5d5947ee115b4a49adc07d0bc4bc72e5/view mailto:AFRL.RIOF@us.af.mil purposes of a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) or Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) solicitation, “covered individuals” are all Senior/Key Personnel.)

(b) Federal law requires that all current and pending research support, as defined by 42 U.S.C. §6605, must be disclosed at the time of proposal submission, for all covered individuals. The Government may require an updated disclosure during the performance of any research project selected for funding. The Government will require an updated disclosure whenever covered individuals are added or identified as performing under the funded project.

(c) Covered Individuals are also required to sign the “Privacy Act Statement” and provide such signed statement to the Applicant/Recipient for submission with the proposal. (See Appendix 4)

(d) Any decision to accept a proposal for funding under this announcement will include full reliance on the individual’s statements. Failure to report fully and completely all sources of project support and outside positions and affiliations may be considered a material statement within the meaning of the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. 3729, and constitute a violation of Federal law.

IV. Actions required by Applicants/Recipients during period of performance:

(a) Applicant/Recipient will be required to re-submit the Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile as an annual requirement. In addition, whenever a new covered individual(s) is to be added or identified as performing under the funded project, a new Research and Related Senior and Key Person Profile will be required prior to continued performance.

(b) If, at any time, during performance of this award, the Applicant/Recipient learns that its Senior/Key Research Personnel (including any sub awardee personnel who receive this designation) are or are believed to be participants in a Foreign Government Talent Program or have Foreign Components with a strategic competitor or country with a history of targeting U.S. technology for unauthorized transfer, the Applicant/Recipient will notify the Contracting/Agreements Officer within 5 business days of awareness.

(c) This disclosure must include specific information as to the personnel involved and the nature of the situation and relationship. The Government will review this information and conduct any necessary fact-finding or discussion with the Applicant/Recipient. The Government’s determination on disclosure may include acceptance, mitigation, or termination of the award.

(d) Failure of the Applicant/Recipient to reasonably exercise due diligence to discover or ensure that neither it nor any of its Senior/Key Research Personnel involved in the subject award are participating in a Foreign Government Talent Program or have a Foreign Component with a strategic competitor or country with a history of targeting U.S. technology for unauthorized transfer may result in the Government exercising remedies in accordance with federal law and regulation.

(e) The Applicant/Recipient will be required to flow down this provision to all sub awardees who have personnel designated as Senior/Key Research Personnel as a result of their involvement in the performance of the research.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION:

All responses to this announcement must be addressed to the Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) listed in SECTION VII. DO NOT send white papers to the Contracting Officer.

All responsible sources may submit a bid, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the agency.

1. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES:

It is recommended that white papers be received by 6:00PM Eastern Standard Time (EST) on the following dates to maximize the possibility of award:

FY27 by 30 Sep 2026 FY28 by 30 Sep 2026 FY29 by 30 Sep 2027 FY30 by 30 Sep 2028 FY31 by 30 Sep 2029

White papers will be accepted until 6:00PM EST on 30 SEP 2030, but it is less likely that funding will be available in each respective fiscal year after the dates cited. This ARA will close on 30 Jun 2031 at

6:00PM EST.

All offerors submitting white papers will receive notification of their evaluation results within 45 days of submission. Offerors should email the TPOC and the Contracting Officer listed in Section VII, for status of their white paper(s) after 45 days, if no such correspondence has been received.

2. CONTENT AND FORMAT: Offerors are required to submit a 4-to-5-page white paper summarizing their proposed approach/solution. Any pages in excess of 5 will be removed and not considered in the white paper evaluation. The purpose of the white paper is to preclude unwarranted effort on the part of an offeror whose proposed work is not of interest to the Government.

The white paper will be formatted as follows:

a) Section A: Title, Period of Performance, Estimated Cost, Name/Address of Company, Technical and Contracting Points of Contact (phone and email)(this section is NOT included in the page count)

i. if proposing an OT, one of the following must be met (COTR will specify in the RFP if an OT is anticipated):

a. At least one Nontraditional Defense Contractor or non-profit research institution participating to a significant extent in the prototype project; or

b. ALL significant participants in the transaction other than the Federal Government are Small Businesses, including those participating in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) or Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs or Nontraditional Defense Contractors; or

c. A Cost Share of at least 1/3 of the Total Cost of the prototype project is to be paid out of funds provided by parties to the transaction other than the Federal Government.

ii. If proposing an OTR, research to be conducted must fall under basic, applied, or advanced research

iii. If proposing using the authority 10 U.S.C. 4023, explain how the acquisition of “demonstrations, prototypes, supplies, parts, accessories, auxiliary services, and design for products or services that the Secretary of Defense or the Secretary concerned considers necessary for experimental or test purposes in the development of the best supplies that are needed for the national defense”. Must also indicate the type of vehicle to be used, OTP, OTR, or FAR based contract.

iv. If the offeror does not meet the definition of a nontraditional defense contractor, nonprofit research institution or small business, they must state if they plan to subcontract with entities who meet these definitions (see Section IV.4.h).

v. this section is NOT included in the page count;

b) Section B: Task Objective; and

c) Section C: Technical Summary and Proposed Deliverables.

All white papers shall be double spaced with a font no smaller than 12 point. Please note that less than 12 point font is acceptable for graphics and illustrations (as in labels and short descriptions) as long as it is readable when printed out on standard 8x11 paper. In addition, respondents are requested to provide their Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code, their unique entity identifier and electronic funds transfer (EFT) indicator (if applicable), an e-mail address and reference ARA FA8750-26-S-7004 with their submission.

Multiple white papers within the purview of this announcement may be submitted by each offeror. If the offeror wishes to restrict its white papers, they must be marked with the restrictive language stated in FAR 15.503-3(a).

3. HANDLING AND MAILING INSTRUCTIONS:

a. CLASSIFICATION GUIDANCE. All Proposers should review the NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL SECURITY PROGRAM OPERATING MANUAL (NISPOM), 32 CFR Part 117, as it provides baseline standards for the protection of classified information and prescribes the requirements concerning Contractor Developed Information under paragraph §117.13. Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) Site for the NISPOM is: http://www.dcsa.mil/.

In the event of a possible or actual compromise of classified information in the submission of your white paper or proposal, immediately but no later than 24 hours, bring this to the attention of your cognizant security authority and AFRL Rome Research Site Information Protection Office (IPO):

Information Protection Office (contact only if a security compromise has occurred) Monday-Friday (0730-1630): Call 315-330-2133 or Email: jennifer.moyer@us.af.mil Evenings and Weekends: Call 315-330-2961

b. CLASSIFIED SUBMISSIONS. AFRL/RFGD will accept classified responses to this ARA when the classification is mandated by classification guidance provided by an Original Classification Authority of the U.S. Government, or when the offeror believes the work, if successful, would merit classification.

Security classification guidance in the form of a DD Form 254 (DoD Contract Security Classification Specification) will not be provided at this time since AFRL is soliciting ideas only.

Offerors that intend to include classified information or data in their white paper submission or who are unsure about the appropriate classification of their white papers should contact the technical point of contact listed in Section VII for guidance and direction in advance of preparation.

c. MAILING INSTRUCTIONS.

http://www.dcsa.mil/ mailto:jennifer.moyer@us.af.mil

Email Unclassified electronic submission to the TPOC identified in Section VII. Encrypt or password-protect all proprietary information prior to sending. Offerors are responsible to confirm receipt with the TPOC. AFRL is not responsible for undelivered documents. If electronic submission is used, only one copy of the documentation is required.

Questions can be directed to the TPOC listed in Section VII.

. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS/CONSIDERATIONS:

a. COST SHARING OR MATCHING RELATED TO FAR BASED AWARDS. Cost sharing is not a requirement. Cost sharing may be proposed and will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Cost share will not be a factor in selection for award. For OT awards, see Section IV.4.h.3.

b. SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM). Offerors must be registered in the SAM database to receive a contract award, and remain registered during performance and through final payment of any contract or agreement. Processing time for registration in SAM, which normally takes forty-eight hours, should be taken into consideration when registering. Offerors who are not already registered should consider applying for registration before submitting a proposal.

The provision at FAR 52.204-7, System for Award Management applies.

c. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION AND FIRST-TIER SUBCONTRACT/ SUBRECIPIENT

AWARDS: Any contract award resulting from this announcement may contain the clause at FAR 52.204-10 - Reporting Executive Compensation and First-Tier Subcontract Awards.

d. ALLOWABLE CHARGES: The cost of preparing white papers/proposals in response to this announcement is not considered an allowable direct charge to any resulting contract or any other contract, but may be an allowable expense to the normal bid and proposal indirect cost specified in FAR 31.205-18.

e. GOVERNMENT APPROVED ACCOUNTING SYSTEM: An offeror must have a government approved accounting system prior to award of a cost-reimbursement contract per limitations set forth in FAR 16.301-3(a) to ensure the system is adequate for determining costs applicable to the contract. The acceptability of an accounting system is determined based upon an audit performed by the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA). IMPORTANT: If you do not have a DCAA approved accounting system access the following link for instructions:

https://sam.gov/opp/e628c811fafe041accdddf55fb8539bf/view?keywords=AFRL-BAA- Guide&sort=-relevance&index=&is_active=true&page=1 For Other Transactions, an offeror must provide documentation that their accounting system is Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) compliant in accordance with the DoD Other Transaction Guide.

f. HUMAN USE: All research involving human subjects, to include the use of human biological specimens and human data, selected for funding must comply with Federal regulations for human subject protection. Further, research involving human subjects that is conducted or supported by the DoD must comply with 32 CFR 219, “Protection of Human Subjects” found at:

http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_07/32cfr219_07.html, and DoD Instruction 3216.02, “Protection of Human Subjects and Adherence to Ethical Standards in DoD-Supported Research” found at: http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/321602p.pdf.

https://sam.gov/opp/e628c811fafe041accdddf55fb8539bf/view?keywords=AFRL-BAA-Guide&sort=-relevance&index=&is_active=true&page=1 https://sam.gov/opp/e628c811fafe041accdddf55fb8539bf/view?keywords=AFRL-BAA-Guide&sort=-relevance&index=&is_active=true&page=1 http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_07/32cfr219_07.html http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/321602p.pdf

1. Institutions awarded funding for research involving human subjects must provide documentation of a current Assurance of Compliance with Federal regulations for human subject protection, for example a Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Human Research Protection Federal Wide Assurance found at: http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp.

2. All institutions engaged in human subject research, to include subcontractors, must have a valid assurance. In addition, personnel involved in human subject research must document the completion of appropriate training for the protection of human subjects.

3. For all research that will involve human subjects in the first year or phase of the project, the institution must submit evidence of a plan for review by an institutional review board (IRB) as part of the proposal. The IRB conducting the review must be the IRB identified on the institution’s Assurance of Compliance. The protocol, separate from the proposal, must include a detailed description of the research plan, study population, risks and benefits of study participation, recruitment and consent process, data collection, and data analysis. The designated IRB should be consulted for guidance on writing the protocol. The informed consent document must comply with 32 CFR 219.116. A valid Assurance of Compliance and evidence of appropriate training by all investigators should accompany the protocol for review by the IRB.

4. In addition to a local IRB approval, an AFRL-level human subject regulatory review and approval is required for all research conducted or supported by the DoD. The Air Force office responsible for managing the award can provide guidance and information about the AFRL-level review process. Confirmation of a current Assurance of Compliance and appropriate human subjects protection training is required before AFRL-level approval can be issued.

5. The time required to complete the IRB review/approval process will vary…