FTA Broad Agency Announcement (FY26) -- “Research Initiatives in Support of Safety, Accessibility, and Mobility in Public Transportation

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Office of Research, Demonstration, and Innovation has issued Broad Agency Announcement 693195-26-BAA-0001 to solicit applied research projects aimed at enhancing the safety, reliability, efficiency, and accessibility of public transportation in the United States. This unrestricted solicitation is open to any responsible source, excluding Federal Government-owned businesses, and encourages teaming and collaboration. The program focuses on technology readiness levels 3 through 6, with a specific preference for proof-of-concept testing. Research topics include community connectivity, accessibility for automated vehicles, urban rail innovations, ferry safety, and transit safety data analytics. Individual awards are typically valued between $150,000 and $500,000 and may be structured as firm-fixed-price or level-of-effort term contracts. While cost sharing is not mandatory, projects that include transit operator partnerships and cost sharing are preferred. The selection process is a two-phased approach starting with a five-page concept paper and a one-page quad chart, followed by a formal proposal for invited offerors. Evaluation is based on technical merit, importance to agency programs, and cost, with technical factors weighted significantly higher than price. The response deadline has been extended to October 30, 2026. Awardees must comply with various Federal Acquisition Regulation clauses, including Section 889 prohibitions on certain telecommunications and video surveillance equipment. Key deliverables include periodic reports, annual research summaries for multi-year projects, and a final technical report, all of which must be submitted 30 days prior to the end of the performance period.