Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR)

The Space Technology Advanced Research (STAR) program, solicited under FA9453-19-S-0002, is an open Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Space Vehicles Directorate to advance innovative technologies for U.S. Department of Defense space systems. The solicitation invites white papers through a two-step process aimed at fostering high-risk, high-reward research in areas such as spacecraft systems, autonomy, thermal control, space-based sensing, on-orbit manufacturing, and debris mitigation. Contract types may include Firm Fixed Price, Cost-Plus-Fixed-Fee, Other Transaction Authority agreements, or Cooperative Agreements, with estimated individual awards ranging from $50,000 to $100 million and multiple awards anticipated. All offerors must be registered in the System for Award Management and possess a valid Unique Entity Identifier and CAGE Code; small businesses must meet the 1,000-employee size standard for NAICS code 541715. White papers must be submitted via the DoD SAFE portal using the official template, in the form of a searchable, unlocked PDF, with no page limits specified but strict adherence to formatting required. The submission window has no fixed deadline, and offerors are instructed to monitor SAM.gov for updates. The evaluation process emphasizes a value-based trade-off, prioritizing relevance to AFRL needs, scientific and engineering viability, and project plan quality over cost, with proposals rated as Highly Recommended, Selectable, or Not Selectable. Technical merit is assessed independently of cost, allowing superior innovation to justify higher funding, while cost realism and reasonableness are evaluated to ensure fiscal responsibility without compromising technical superiority. Contract performance is centered at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, with potential for off-site work and use of Government Furnished Property, where contractors assume all costs for handling, installation, and rehabilitation. All contracts will include mandatory clauses for export control compliance under ITAR and EAR, operations security in line with AFI 10-701, and IUID marking for assets over $5,000. Classified work may require Top Secret facility clearances and DD Form 254 incorporation, and organizational conflict of interest mitigation plans are mandatory. Invoicing is exclusively through WAWF, and deliverables may include prototypes, technical reports, and patent disclosures, completed within three months following performance. Certain administrative contractors are disqualified from participation due to access to proprietary government information.