Robust Optical Clock Network (ROCkN)

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is soliciting research proposals through Broad Agency Announcement HR001122S0023 to develop robust, low size, weight and power optical atomic clocks with unprecedented timing precision and holdover capabilities. Proposals are due April 25, 2022 and will be evaluated based on scientific and technical merit in advancing the agency's mission as well as cost realism. The agency seeks to fund a 24-month base period and optional 24-month extension to develop portable clocks achieving sub-picosecond stability over short times and 10-day GPS-level holdover as well as transportable clocks demonstrating 10-15 Allan deviation at 1 second and 1 nanosecond holdover for 1 month.

No set-aside designation is being used for this opportunity. Research areas include developing small, portable clocks under Technical Area 1 or larger transportable clocks under Technical Area 2. The primary NAICS code is 541715 and PSC code is R425. Multiple awards are anticipated to be either procurement contracts or other transaction agreements totaling approximately $50 million over 48 months to support the program goal of demonstrating synchronized clocks at field locations by 2024.