Research to Support FHWA’s Office of Infrastructure Research and Development: Issued Call 3.0

This solicitation, identified as BAA Call 3.0 under number 693JJ3-23-BAA-0002-3, is issued by the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Infrastructure Research and Development to solicit innovative research proposals supporting strategic infrastructure objectives. The announcement is part of a multi-year Broad Agency Announcement with an expected six-year lifecycle, where annual calls for concept papers are issued through updated versions of Appendix C, which details specific research topics such as PEM Durability Test Thresholds, Digital As-Built Data for Bridge Management, and the development of a digital twin framework compliant with ISO 19650 and IFC4.3 standards. Submissions follow a two-phase process: an initial concept paper due July 24, 2026, at 1 PM ET, followed by a full proposal for select applicants, with the full proposal deadline to be announced later. All submissions must be delivered by 4:00 p.m. ET on their respective due dates without exception, and offerors who submitted earlier concept papers are not required to resubmit unless they choose to revise based on updated guidance. Proposals are evaluated based on technical merit and value, with funding ranges provided for each topic—such as $150,000–$200,000 for Bid Items Standard Assessment and $250,000–$350,000 for Digital As-Built Data—with exceptions permitted only if the proposal clearly justifies exceeding these ranges due to exceptional quality. The Government reserves the right to award any, all, part, or none of the proposals, with typically one award made per topic depending on funding availability and proposal quality. Successful projects must deliver a final report, technical documentation, a national virtual workshop meeting Section 508 accessibility requirements, and participate in monthly virtual meetings with FHWA staff. The anticipated period of performance for any awarded project is up to 36 months, and all submissions must adhere to formatting and submission protocols outlined in the BAA, with questions directed to Vivian Riboli and Rochelle Infante via email using a prescribed template and subject line. No set-asides are in effect, and the NAICS code for this solicitation is 541330.