Manufacturing Research and Technology Development Open Period

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Foundational Technologies Directorate is soliciting research and development proposals under solicitation FA2394-26-R-B004 to advance defense manufacturing capabilities through innovative technologies that can transition from laboratory research to factory or depot implementation. This open-period solicitation, posted on June 24, 2026, with a response deadline of June 22, 2031, targets manufacturing technologies aligned with high-impact Air Force domains and is managed by the contracting office at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Contractors are expected to engage in R&D activities spanning 12 to 40 months, followed by a three-month reporting period, with anticipated funding of up to $499 million over FY26–FY30, though this is an estimate and not a guaranteed obligation. The solicitation anticipates awards under Other Transaction (OT) authorities, grants, cooperative agreements, or C-type contracts, emphasizing non-traditional contracting models to accelerate innovation. Technical deliverables will include software, hardware, prototypes, and technical data conforming to specified CDRL formats and standards including DD Form 1423-1, with all items subject to Unique Item Identification per DFARS 252.211-7003 and export controls under ITAR and EAR. Proposals must address stringent security, compliance, and administrative requirements. All offerors must comply with MIL-STD-129 and MIL-STD-130 for packaging, labeling, and item marking using two-dimensional Data Matrix barcodes compliant with ISO/IEC standards. Contractors handling classified information must implement a Science and Technology Protection Plan, maintain OPSEC training, adhere to NISPOM regulations, and execute security agreements via DD Form 441. Key personnel must be identified and approved in advance, with substitutions requiring written authorization. Organizational conflicts of interest are strictly prohibited, particularly for contractors involved in system supply or technical direction. Proposals must include a 5-page white paper, security questionnaires, privacy act forms, and other documentation as outlined in the attachments. Invoicing must occur through the Wide Area WorkFlow system, and compliance with cybersecurity and supply chain integrity standards, including counterfeit parts detection, is mandatory. Offerors must be registered in SAM, disclose UEI and CAGE codes if providing covered telecommunications equipment, and affirm size status under NAICS 541715 with a 1,500-employee threshold