Lab-to-Orbit: Accelerating the Development and Testing of Materials for Low Earth Orbit
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- FA8650-24-S-5210
- Agency
-
Air Force Research Laboratory
Air Force Materiel Command, Department of Defense
- Applications due
- Award size
- $4,600,000 to $8,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Science and Technology and other Research and Development
- Eligible applicants
-
- Higher Education Inst. (Private)
- Higher Education Inst. (Public)
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of the Air Force Materiel Command Research Laboratory is seeking applications from public and private higher education institutions through its Lab-to-Orbit: Accelerating the Development and Testing of Materials for Low Earth Orbit federal grant opportunity. This cooperative agreement aims to establish a Center of Excellence to develop computational and experimental approaches for materials discovery and qualification for low Earth orbit applications. Successful applicants must propose research at their institution to be conducted by graduate students under the direction of Air Force researchers, with a focus on advancing fundamental materials knowledge for space systems. Evaluation will consider technical merit, potential military impact, cost realism and cost sharing. The deadline for initial white paper submissions is December 20, 2023.
The total estimated program cost is $8 million over five years, including a base award of $4.8 million over three years and an optional additional $3.2 million for up to two more years. Recipients are expected to cost share 30% of the base award and 25% of the optional extension. Research will be performed at both the recipient institution and Air Force Research Laboratory facilities in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.
Synopsis
2 versions
Update #2 · Latest ·
THIS WILL BE A TWO-STEP SOLICITATION:
First Step: WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME: 20 December 2023 and Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 2:00 PM EST. Only white papers are due at this time.
Second Step: PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: To be provided in the Requests for Proposals sent to recipients that submit White Papers considered to meet the needs of the Air Force.
Brief Program Summary: This program is anticipated to be a single phase consisting of a 36 month base technical effort with a 24 month optional period, plus 3 months for the final report. The technical effort of the program will focus on development of a combined computational and experimental approach for materials discovery and development low-earth-orbit applications through strong, organic collaborations between the Recipient and USAF researchers. The program will seek to grow these collaborations by funding graduate students at the Recipient institution(s) performing exceptional basic research in materials problem spaces to advance materials for space and spacecraft systems. Research under this program should produce actionable, quantifiable information that furthers fundamental knowledge of materials systems.
The Recipient is expected to consist of an interdisciplinary team including researchers with expertise in materials science, aerospace systems, and data analytics. As such, multi-investigator teaming across departments, disciplines, and institutions (if applicable) is highly encouraged. Emphasis should be placed on transformative concepts, over incremental efficiency gains, to demonstrate the capacity to accelerate technology development for space applications. Developing students with cross-expertise in the areas listed above and the ability to effectively communicate between these technical communities is paramount. To ensure the collaborative effort, graduate students participating in the CoE are expected to perform research under the direction of an AFRL S & E for approximately 8-12 weeks each year on site at AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB. Additional quarterly visits between the Recipient and AFRL S & Es involved in the program are expected.
Type of Instrument: Awards under this FOA will be Cooperative Agreement(s) (CA) governed by 2 CFR §200. Cooperative Agreements require successful recipients to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs. The effort may be cost shared as addressed in Part III.2.
Estimated Program Cost: The Government anticipates a Base Award Cost of $4.8M with an Option Period Cost of $3.2M. Costs will be shared as follows:
- Base Award, 36 Months, Government Share: $3.3M
- Base Award, 36 Months, Recipient Cost Share: $1.5M
- Option, 24 Months, Government Share: $2.2M
- Option, 24 Months, Recipient Cost Share: $1M
Anticipated Number of Awards: The Air Force anticipates awarding one (1) award for this announcement. However, the Air Force reserves the right to award zero, one, or more Cooperative Agreements for all, some or none of the solicited effort based on the recipient's ability to perform desired work and funding fluctuations.
Update #1 ·
THIS WILL BE A TWO-STEP SOLICITATION:
First Step: WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME: 20 December 2024 and Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 2:00 PM EST. Only white papers are due at this time.
Second Step: PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME: To be provided in the Requests for Proposals sent to recipients that submit White Papers considered to meet the needs of the Air Force.
Brief Program Summary: This program is anticipated to be a single phase consisting of a 36 month base technical effort with a 24 month optional period, plus 3 months for the final report. The technical effort of the program will focus on development of a combined computational and experimental approach for materials discovery and development low-earth-orbit applications through strong, organic collaborations between the Recipient and USAF researchers. The program will seek to grow these collaborations by funding graduate students at the Recipient institution(s) performing exceptional basic research in materials problem spaces to advance materials for space and spacecraft systems. Research under this program should produce actionable, quantifiable information that furthers fundamental knowledge of materials systems.
The Recipient is expected to consist of an interdisciplinary team including researchers with expertise in materials science, aerospace systems, and data analytics. As such, multi-investigator teaming across departments, disciplines, and institutions (if applicable) is highly encouraged. Emphasis should be placed on transformative concepts, over incremental efficiency gains, to demonstrate the capacity to accelerate technology development for space applications. Developing students with cross-expertise in the areas listed above and the ability to effectively communicate between these technical communities is paramount. To ensure the collaborative effort, graduate students participating in the CoE are expected to perform research under the direction of an AFRL S & E for approximately 8-12 weeks each year on site at AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB. Additional quarterly visits between the Recipient and AFRL S & Es involved in the program are expected.
Type of Instrument: Awards under this FOA will be Cooperative Agreement(s) (CA) governed by 2 CFR §200. Cooperative Agreements require successful recipients to have an accounting system considered adequate for tracking costs. The effort may be cost shared as addressed in Part III.2.
Estimated Program Cost: The Government anticipates a Base Award Cost of $4.8M with an Option Period Cost of $3.2M. Costs will be shared as follows:
- Base Award, 36 Months, Government Share: $3.3M
- Base Award, 36 Months, Recipient Cost Share: $1.5M
- Option, 24 Months, Government Share: $2.2M
- Option, 24 Months, Recipient Cost Share: $1.5M
Anticipated Number of Awards: The Air Force anticipates awarding one (1) award for this announcement. However, the Air Force reserves the right to award zero, one, or more Cooperative Agreements for all, some or none of the solicited effort based on the recipient's ability to perform desired work and funding fluctuations.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Q&A_updated 18 Dec.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Q&A.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| Q&A_updated 13 Dec.xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| University Day_Virtual.pdf.pdf | ||
| University Day_Virtual.pdf.pdf | ||
| Attch 8_S&T Protection Initial Risk Review.pdf | ||
| Attch 7_Data Assertion Table.pdf | ||
| Attch 6_Technical Background.pdf | ||
| Attch 5_Statement of Objectives.pdf | ||
| Attch 4_Base Support List.pdf | ||
| Attch 3_Assistance Instrument Certifications.pdf | ||
| Attch 2_Model Contract.pdf | ||
| Attch 1_Supp Instructions for Assistance Props.pdf | ||
| FOA_FA8650-24-S-5210_rev1.pdf | ||
| FOA_FA8650-24-S-5210.pdf |
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