Transient Reducing Active Power System (TRAPS) Research Opportunity

The Office of Naval Research seeks white papers and full proposals for development of a Transient Reducing Active Power System (TRAPS)—an advanced shipboard power management architecture consisting of controls, power conversion, and energy storage to condition transient load profiles for compatibility with Navy ship service power generating systems. White papers are due July 17, 2026, and full proposals are due September 25, 2026. This is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA N0001426SBC001) with no set-aside applied.

Place of performance is Arlington, Virginia. The procurement targets Technology Readiness Level 3–4 systems with subscale hardware demonstrations. Technical requirements include MIL-STD-1399-300-3 power standards compliance, operation at 4160 VAC minimum for AC-DC topologies with objective capability at 13.8 kVAC, energy storage lifetime of 6+ years (threshold) to 10+ years (objective) mean time between replacement, and MATLAB 2024a Simscape transient electrical modeling. Systems must support 1–4 mission loads at 650 kilowatts average individual load and 2.6 megawatts total system power from 1000 VDC sources. Energy storage technologies may include batteries, ultracapacitors, or superconducting magnetic energy storage, evaluated at total system level. Individual load sequencing, protection, and shutdown capabilities are required.

ONR anticipates funding multiple base contracts not exceeding $2.5 million per award over a 2-year performance period, with an optional two-year detailed design phase for full-scale prototype development funded separately. Funding decisions are scheduled for October 30, 2026, with estimated awards by March 31, 2027. White papers must not exceed 5 single-sided pages in 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins. Performers must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents eligible for Controlled Unclassified Information contracts; universities, small businesses, and national laboratories are eligible to lead. Other-than-small-business performers must submit subcontracting plans. Amendment 0001, posted July 2, 2026, provides answers to submitted questions (Attachment 1). Nathan Spivey (nathan.n.spivey.civ@us.navy.mil) is the Technical Point of Contact; Leila Hemenway (leila.k.hemenway.civ@us.navy.mil) is the Contracting Officer.