Combat Identification Automated Target Recognition Technology (CATCH) Call 04

This contract, identified as Combat Identification Automated Target Recognition Technology (CATCH) Call 04 under solicitation FA2377-25-R-B015, is a competitive cost-plus-fixed-fee award issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Sensors Directorate to develop advanced air-to-air combat identification capabilities. The program focuses on research, development, assessment, and evaluation of feature fusion engines for CID algorithms that support integrated identification across air, ground, and surface platforms. The contract has a total performance period of 63 months and an estimated value of $15 million, with deliverables including software, algorithms, and associated technical documentation governed by the Contract Data Requirements List and DD Form 254 for security classification. Proposals were due by December 1, 2025, under a one-step process using competitive procedures authorized by 10 USC 4023, with no set-aside for small businesses, though a 10% statutory preference applies to HUBZone concerns during evaluation. All work is performed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, with final delivery and acceptance occurring at the specified government facility. Contractors must comply with stringent security requirements, including ITAR controls, TS/SCI clearance and SAP access for all personnel, mandatory OPSEC training, and 24-hour incident reporting for any compromise of critical program information. Key personnel must be U.S. citizens, and substitutions require prior government approval with updated R&R profiles submitted upon award, annually, and for new hires. The contract mandates unlimited government data rights, prohibits foreign participation due to classification and export controls, and requires strict disclosure procedures for public release of information under DFARS 252.204-7000. Packaging of sensitive hardware must include explicit handling instructions, and all submissions must adhere to strict page limits for technical and management proposals. Payment is processed exclusively through WAWF, with cost and fixed-fee structure applied per task call, and compliance with NIST SP 800-171, SAM registration, cybersecurity requirements, and subcontracting plans (if over $900,000) is mandatory. Evaluation prioritizes technical merit over cost, with award potentially made without negotiations based on a best-value trade-off approach.