SPACE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCED RESEARCH-FAST-TRACKING INNOVATIVE SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE (STAR-FISH) ADVANCED RESEARCH ANNOUNCEMENT (ARA) WITH CALLS

The STAR-FISH Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) with Calls, identified by solicitation number FA9453-21-S-0001, is a flexible, multi-award vehicle issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate to advance space-domain technologies critical to national defense. The solicitation supports a two-step process beginning with white paper submissions containing rough order of magnitude cost estimates, followed by full technical and cost proposals for selected applicants. The initiative focuses on research and development across technology readiness levels, encompassing space flight systems, on-orbit servicing, debris management, reentry technologies, ground infrastructure, communications, command and control, space manufacturing, and user equipment. Contracts may be awarded under various types including Firm Fixed Price, Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee, Cost Contract, Other Transactions, Technology Investment Agreements, or Cooperative Agreements, with award values per individual CALL ranging from $50,000 to $100,000,000. Proposals are evaluated through a non-LPTA trade-off process prioritizing technical merit over cost, with factors ranked in tiers: Relevance to AFRL Needs, Scientific and Engineering Viability, and Project Plan are equally weighted and highest priority; Problem Definition and Benefit versus Funding are secondary; Proposal Quality is lowest. Proposals are rated as Highly Recommended, Selectable, or Not Selectable based on these criteria, and awards are made solely on technical superiority. Performance occurs primarily at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, though off-site work is permitted as defined per individual CALL. Contractors must comply with extensive government property management requirements under FAR and DFARS clauses, including tagging, reporting loss, and managing contractor property systems, with Alternate I or II of Government Property clauses potentially applying depending on entity type. All payments must be processed electronically via Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF), and contractors are responsible for transporting, installing, and rehabilitating Government-Furnished Property. Strict export control obligations apply under ITAR and EAR, requiring a certified DD Form 2345, and Operations Security protocols must align with AFI 10-701. Organizational Conflict of Interest analyses are mandatory; entities previously supporting AFRL, including LTD Global, Valid Evaluation, and SierTek, are explicitly barred from responding. Offerors must register in SAM with a Unique Entity ID and declare small business status using the 1,000-employee threshold for NAICS 541715, submitting subcontract