Other Transaction Agreement Solutions Offering (OTASO) for TechAccess: AI-Ready America Program

The National Science Foundation's Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships seeks proposals from eligible organizations to serve as the National Coordination Lead for the TechAccess: AI-Ready America program, with proposals due July 21, 2026, and questions due June 15, 2026. NSF anticipates issuing one Other Transaction award; this is not a FAR-based procurement contract or financial assistance award.

Place of performance must be within the United States at the awardee's site. The award is a five-year OT agreement with an expected value of $5 million annually, structured as a combination of fixed-price and milestone-based payments. The National Lead must commit one individual to a minimum 75% full-time effort and demonstrate comprehensive AI readiness expertise across technical, policy, educational, and applied contexts; national convening power as a trusted, neutral entity; operational agility to establish a semi-autonomous program unit; and capability to execute OT awards and leverage additional resources from industry and philanthropy.

The National Lead executes seven primary workstreams: State/Territory-level Coordination Hub support; national-level knowledge sharing and gap identification; national AI deployment support; industry and philanthropy engagement; national coordination within priority sectors; development and execution of AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions; and documentation of progress toward technical milestones. Selected organizations are prohibited from serving as lead or partner on State/Territory Coordination Hub awards or participating in AI-Ready Catalyst Award Competitions during the award period. Organizations may participate in multiple National Lead proposals but face conflict-of-interest restrictions.

Evaluation criteria are organizational experience and capabilities, workstream execution approach, and budget realism and alignment, assessed on a Highly Competitive, Competitive, or Not Competitive scale. NAICS 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. Eligible proposers must be registered in SAM and cannot include entities on the Department of Commerce's Entity List, foreign entities of concern, or individuals in malign foreign talent recruitment programs. NSF may invite qualified proposers to optional virtual oral presentations estimated for August or September 2026.