BAA: Establishing Consortia to Advance Energy-Water Security

The National Science Foundation, through its Division of Acquisition and Cooperative Support, is soliciting proposals under Broad Agency Announcement 49100426R0009 to establish consortia focused on advancing energy-water security in the Colorado River Basin. This initiative seeks innovative, deployable solutions that reduce vulnerabilities in the interdependent energy and water systems, with an emphasis on resilience, efficiency, and integration with existing federal infrastructure. Proposals must demonstrate technical merit, a clear management approach, and the ability to deliver measurable outcomes through collaborative efforts involving academic, industry, and public utilities partners. The solicitation operates under a two-phase process: interested parties must first submit a white paper of no more than five pages by August 6, 2026, via email to Bethany Stutler at BAAWaterInitiative@nsf.gov; only selected applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, which must be structured as a single PDF and include a cover sheet, 15-page project description, biographical sketches (three pages per individual), a two-page data management plan, a five-page budget justification, consolidated letters of collaboration, and any applicable memoranda of understanding with utility providers. Submissions must strictly adhere to formatting requirements—12-point Times New Roman, single-spaced, one-inch margins—and no non-PDF files will be accepted. All award recipients are expected to operate under a Firm-Fixed Price structure, with the maximum potential award value per contract set at $10,000,000 for Phase 1, and performance limited to a maximum of 12 months. The government strongly prefers this pricing model and requires justification for any alternative cost arrangements. Offerors must be registered in SAM.gov and provide a Unique Entity ID and Taxpayer Identification Number. Proposals are evaluated primarily on technical merit and the proposer’s capabilities, without a formal scoring rubric, indicating a trade-off process favoring innovation and strategic alignment over price. Special requirements include a subcontracting plan for non-small businesses anticipated to receive awards above $900,000, compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, and adherence to NSF guidelines on intellectual property, which encourage open-access or public-domain licensing to promote broad adoption. Reporting obligations include annual and final project reports, as well as a public outcomes report, with no physical packaging, delivery, or inspection specifications beyond the expectation that performance occurs in proximity to federal water and power infrastructure in the Colorado River Basin region. The National Science Foundation retains full authority