693JJ3-24-BAA-0003_003.pdf

Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Office of Infrastructure Research and Development (HRDI)

Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)

693JJ3-24-BAA-0003: Research Initiatives in Support of FHWA Next Generation Structural Materials and Systems

Call 003: Addressing Construction Needs for Ultra-High Performance

(UHPC) Structural Elements

December 2, 2025

Broad Agency Announcement No.: 693JJ3-24-BAA-0003 Solicitation/Call No.: 693JJ3-24-BAA-0003-003

1. Solicitation Open/Close Dates

• Opening Date: December 2, 2025

• Questions Due Date: December 17, 2025

• White Paper Due Date: February 5, 2026

• Anticipated Date of Advisory Notifications Sent: February 26, 2026

• Proposal Due Date: TBD

White Papers and Proposals are due by 4:00 p.m. ET time on each due date. There will be no exceptions to the time and date on which responses are due, unless determined otherwise by the Government. White Papers and Proposals received after the closing date/time will not be considered.

Once all white paper offerors have been notified whether or not they have been encouraged to submit a full proposal, Call 003 will be amended to specify the exact Proposal due date.

2. Solicitation Topic:

Structural Concrete Research Program Topic: HRDI40-CR-003 Title: Addressing Construction Needs for Ultra-High Performance (UHPC) Structural Elements

With the publication of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Guide Specification for Structural Design with Ultra-High Performance Concrete, nationwide interest in UHPC structural applications for infrastructure has surged. This next-generation concrete technology offers significant advantages over conventional concrete materials, providing a range of structural and durability benefits that enhance resilience and support the modernization of existing infrastructure. To maximize the potential of UHPC in highway construction, establishing clear guidance on best construction practices will help streamline adoption and ensure successful implementation.

UHPC’s optimized mixture composition allows for superior mechanical and structural performance compared to conventional concrete. Its unique rheology and fiber reinforcement require specialized construction techniques tailored to UHPC to ensure that the as-cast component achieves the mechanical properties assumed during the design phase. Factors such as workability, flowability, placement location, flow direction, steam application, heat of hydration, and ambient temperature can affect the performance of the fabricated component and thus require consideration and control. Through refined practices, UHPC can be effectively integrated into infrastructure projects, promoting safety, efficiency, and long-term resilience.

FHWA aims to accelerate adoption of UHPC in highway structural elements by addressing key construction challenges and promoting effective practices through collaboration with the precast industry, UHPC suppliers, infrastructure owners, and designers. This initiative seeks proposals that focus on overcoming obstacles, improving integration, and ensuring high-quality production through research focused on the development of standardized construction guidelines. The following focus areas should be addressed to support the successful implementation of UHPC in construction:

• Facilitate Broader Adoption: Research in this area addresses critical construction needs, including the development of special procedures, casting methods, curing techniques, fresh property testing and requirements, and other construction-related processes such as optimal timing for cutting strands and speeding up production. These efforts aim to streamline the construction process to ensure consistent high-quality UHPC elements.

• Overcome Industry Hurdles: Since UHPC is more expensive than conventional concrete (on a per-cubic-yard basis), and since UHPC is expected to be commonly used to create comparatively thinner structural elements with tighter tolerances, the risks associated with its construction are higher. For these reasons, research should identify industry hurdles and focus on developing corrective actions that can be quickly and effectively implemented to address potential issues that may arise during construction to reduce risks and minimize costly mistakes.

• Ensure Design Integrity: There are several construction factors that can affect the assumptions made during the design phase. This focus area examines the link between construction techniques and the assumed design properties to ensure the finished component meets or exceeds the performance requirements set by the owner.

• Standardize Construction Guidance: This focus area aims to develop special provisions for inclusion in contract documents when using UHPC in construction. Standardized construction guidance is essential to ensure consistency and quality, and to provide owners, designers, suppliers, and producers with the necessary information for successful UHPC integration.

Application-driven research proposals that establish partnerships with industry and infrastructure owners and focus on bridge superstructure and/or substructure components of interest to owners will be given priority.

The design of UHPC components must align with the AASHTO Guide Specification for Structural Design with Ultra-High Performance Concrete and other relevant FHWA documents.

A plan for fresh property testing must be included, covering at least the fresh properties listed in Appendix B, Section 2.6.3 of FHWA-HRT-23-077.

UHPC materials used in this project must undergo a qualification process to determine their compressive and uniaxial tensile properties, as outlined in Appendix B, Sections 2.6.4.2 and 2.6.4.3 of FHWA-HRT-23- 077, respectively.

Acceptance testing must be performed in parallel with the fabrication of UHPC components for this project.

The acceptance procedures for compressive and uniaxial tensile properties shall follow Appendix B, Sections 2.7.1, 2.7.3.2, and 2.7.3.3.1.During qualification, a flexural test using specimen geometry identical to that of the uniaxial tension test must be performed. The proposed flexural test method should be suitable for execution in a production environment. The flexural test shall be conducted using a symmetric four-point bending setup. The constant moment region shall be twice the specimen’s thickness, and the total span shall be five times the specimen’s thickness. Loading blocks and reaction-bearing support rollers shall be designed so that forces applied to the beam act along lines perpendicular to the side faces and are applied without eccentricity. Support rollers shall be journal bearings in accordance with ASTM C1812.Load and midspan deflection must be recorded continuously or at discrete intervals using sensors such as a load cell, dial gauge, and/or Linear Variable Displacement Transducers (LVDTs) At least 30 specimens shall be tested during qualification. This test shall also be used for material acceptance.

3. Number of Awards: It is anticipated that two or three awards will be made for this topic area; however, no awards may be made depending on the quality of the proposals, availability of funds, or other unforeseen circumstances.

4. Anticipated Ceiling: The anticipated ceiling for this effort is $900,000 total.

5. Period of Performance: The period of performance for awards is anticipated to be no longer than 30 months.

6. Award Type: See BAA Section 4.3.6 – Recommended Pricing Arrangement regarding award types.

7. Anticipated Award Dates: The Government anticipates making awards in May 2026; however, the award date may vary based on the quality of the proposals or other unforeseen factors. Additionally, the issuance of this solicitation does not guarantee that an award will be made.

8. White Paper Instructions: Offerors shall submit their white papers in accordance with BAA

Section 3- Project White Papers.

9. Proposal Instructions: Offerors shall submit their proposals in accordance with BAA Section 5 –

Application and Submission Information.

10. Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the evaluation criteria contained in the BAA Section 6 – Evaluation and Award Process.

11. Questions: Any questions concerning this call must be submitted via email to the Contract

Specialist Raven.Merchant@dot.gov and HCFA-22sri@dot.gov no later than the date and time specified in section 3 in the following format:

Question # Reference

Contractors’ Question

1 General (if there is no specific document reference)

2 (Example) 693JJ3-24-BAA-0003-003 page 15, Section 5.2, first paragraph…

3 (Example) 693JJ3-24-BAA-0003-003, page 2, Section 9, first sentence…

Please include “Questions for BAA 693JJ3-24-BAA-0003-003” in the subject line. The full Q&A will be distributed to all Offerors. Questions will only be accepted or answered electronically.

12. Attachments:

No. Title

A B C D mailto:Raven.Merchant@dot.gov mailto:HCFA-22sri@dot.gov

12. Attachments: