DLA-SM Broad Agency Announcement

The Defense Logistics Agency Strategic Materials is conducting a Broad Agency Announcement, SP8000-26-B-BAA0, to solicit research and qualification efforts aimed at stabilizing and restoring domestic supply chains for strategic and critical materials listed in the National Defense Stockpile. The BAA remains open from January 30, 2026, to January 30, 2029, with white papers accepted through May 1, 2028, and all evaluations concluding on August 1, 2028. Proposals must address refining, processing, beneficiation, recycling, and recovery of materials such as rare earths, neodymium iron boron, and samarium cobalt magnets, with specifications requiring total rare earth metals and energy magnetic density measurements. Offerors are required to develop their own Performance Work Statement following a prescribed structure including objectives, scope, background, and contractually binding technical requirements. The government will evaluate technical acceptability through four subfactors—scientific and technical merit, relevance and contributions, innovation, and qualifications—which serve as a mandatory pass/fail gate, with any failure on a single subfactor rendering the proposal unacceptable. Past performance and price are also evaluated, with non-price factors substantially more important than cost. Technical proposals are limited to twenty single-sided pages in 12-point Times New Roman font with one-inch margins, submitted as a PDF via email to DCSO-C3Contracting@dla.mil, along with a separate, unlimited-length price proposal containing a detailed work breakdown structure, labor categories, indirect cost rates, travel, materials, and profit. Awards are expected to be no greater than $10 million with performance periods not exceeding three years, and may be awarded under Firm Fixed Price, Cost Reimbursement, or hybrid contract types based on the proposal’s nature. The NDS Strategic and Critical Materials List in Exhibit A has been updated, and amendments have added new sections on Supply Chain Assessments and Project Scoping. The solicitation is unclassified with no proprietary information permitted, and confidentiality of submissions is protected to the fullest extent. All prospective offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management at submission, prior to award, during performance, and through final payment, and must meet responsibility standards defined in FAR Subpart 9.1, including financial capability, satisfactory performance history, integrity, and technical capacity. Key personnel resumes are required and excluded from the page limit. Proposal preparation costs are unallowable, and payment is tied to the