Heat Light & Sound Research Inc.

Heat Light & Sound Research Inc. is an employee-owned, for-profit corporate entity based in La Jolla, California, specializing in underwater acoustics research and development. Registered in SAM.gov since 2004, the company provides advanced scientific research services primarily to federal defense agencies, with a particular focus on marine and naval research applications. The company's core competency centers on studying underwater sound propagation, acoustic processing, and developing sophisticated acoustic models for naval and marine research purposes.

Through federal contract awards, Heat Light & Sound Research Inc. has consistently secured Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) and other research and development contracts from the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The contracts, ranging from $75,787 to nearly $3 million, have involved critical research projects such as developing the MASTODON model, studying multi-array coherent processing, investigating underwater soundscapes, and advancing the Navy's understanding of sound propagation in ocean environments. Many of these contracts were total small business set-asides, highlighting the company's status as a small business contractor. The contract work has primarily been cost-plus-fixed-fee or firm-fixed-price purchase orders, with performance periods typically spanning two to four years and focusing on long-range science and technology projects that could improve Navy and Marine Corps operational capabilities.

Regarding federal grant awards, Heat Light & Sound Research Inc. has received project grants from the Office of Naval Research under the Basic and Applied Scientific Research program. These grants, including a $240,000 award for supporting the validation and further development of the MASTODON model and another grant focused on 4D (space-time) ocean acoustics and soundscapes, demonstrate the company's continued commitment to advancing underwater acoustic research. The grants have supported research periods typically ranging from three to four years, with a focus on understanding sound propagation through space and time in ocean environments and developing models that can enhance naval research capabilities.