Funder: Air Force -- Research Lab
Due Dates: April 30, 2026 (White papers, Open BAA) | Rolling (Proposals by invitation)
Funding Amounts: Up to $480M total program; typical awards $50,000–$49M; project durations 12–36 months (may vary)
Summary: Funds medical research to optimize Airman health and performance by analyzing human and environmental factors affecting mission readiness.
Key Information: White papers may be submitted at any time; open to a wide range of research topics within defined objectives.
Description
This opportunity, offered by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), supports medical research aimed at optimizing the health, readiness, and performance of Air Force personnel. The program seeks to fund projects that enable, enhance, restore, and sustain Airmen to more effectively execute the Air Force mission. Research should address both the analysis of Airman attributes and operational environments, as well as the effects of the flight environment on health and performance.
The program is structured as a Hybrid Broad Agency Announcement (BAA), with both an Open BAA (accepting white papers at any time) and periodic targeted Calls for specific research topics. Awards may be made as grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or other transaction authorities, depending on the nature of the proposed work.
Due Dates
- White Papers (Open BAA): Accepted any time through April 30, 2026, 5:00 pm local time (Wright-Patterson AFB).
- Proposals: By invitation only, following favorable review of a white paper or in response to a specific Call. Deadlines for full proposals will be specified in the invitation or Call.
Funding Amount
- Total Program Funding: Up to $480,000,000 over the BAA period.
- Typical Award Size: $50,000 to $49,000,000 per project; actual amounts may be lower or higher depending on mission needs.
- Project Duration: Generally 12–36 months, but may vary by project.
- Cost Sharing: Not required, but allowed.
Eligibility
- Who Can Apply: Unrestricted. Open to universities, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, small businesses, and other entities. Small businesses are encouraged to apply.
- Foreign Participation: Not permitted at the prime level. Foreign entities may participate as subcontractors for basic research, subject to approval.
- FFRDCs and Government Agencies: May participate with appropriate approvals and must not compete with private industry.
Research Scope
Proposals must align with one or more of the following research objectives:
- Aeromedical Evacuation (AE): Standards and technologies for in-flight medical care and patient safety.
- Optimization of Human Capital (OHC): Precision-based optimization, screening, and retention of Airmen.
- Airman Exposure Health: Monitoring, assessment, analytics, prediction, and mitigation of environmental exposures.
- Expeditionary Medicine (EM): Combat casualty care, medical logistics, preventive medicine, and ancillary support in deployed settings.
- Cognitive and Physiologic Performance (CPP): Enhancing cognitive/physiological performance and controlling occupational/environmental threats.
- Medical Countermeasures of Directed Energy (Med CDEE): Protection, diagnosis, treatment, and surveillance in directed energy environments.
- Airman Systems Medical Research: Training, bioengineering, and adaptive warfighter interfaces.
- Space Exploration Research: Medical effects of space travel and support for space missions.
See the Statement of Objectives (PDF) for detailed aims under each objective.
Application Process
Step 1: White Paper Submission
- Format: 5 pages max, double-spaced, 10-pt Arial, submitted in Word format.
- Content: Project summary, technical approach, objectives, period of performance, and rough order of magnitude (ROM) cost estimate.
- Submission: Email to the Contracting POC and AFRL/RAKHC.Office@us.af.mil (see Contact Information below).
- Review: White papers are reviewed for technical fit and program interest. Feedback is typically provided within 30 days.
Step 2: Full Proposal (by invitation)
- Eligibility: Only those invited after white paper review or in response to a Call.
- Format: 30 pages max for technical/management volume; separate cost/business volume.
- Requirements: Detailed technical plan, cost breakdown, data rights assertions, certifications, and representations.
- Additional Documents: Security Program Questionnaire, SF 424 Key Personnel form, and S&T Protection Plan may be required.
- Submission: Instructions provided in the invitation or Call.
For Assistance Instruments (Grants/Cooperative Agreements):
- Submit via Grants.gov or as directed in the solicitation.
- Complete SF 424 (R&R) forms and provide additional key personnel and project information as required.
Additional Information
- Security & Export Control: Some projects may require facility clearance or compliance with export control regulations. A Security Program Questionnaire and S&T Protection Plan may be required.
- Human/Animal Subjects: Projects involving human or animal subjects must comply with DoD and federal regulations; approvals must be obtained before work begins.
- Reporting: Final technical report required for all awards; additional deliverables (e.g., interim reports, software, hardware) may be specified per project.
- Data Rights: The government generally expects unlimited rights to technical data and software developed with government funds, but proposals with limited rights will be considered if justified.
- Base Support: May be available at Wright-Patterson AFB or other locations; must be requested in the proposal if needed.
- Proposal Adequacy Checklist: May be required with full proposals (see template).
External Links
- AFRL Home Page
- Grants.gov Opportunity Listing
- Full BAA Solicitation (PDF)
- Statement of Objectives (PDF)
- Proposal Adequacy Checklist (PDF)
- Assistance Instrument Proposal Instructions (PDF)
Contact Information
| Role | Name/Email | Phone | Address |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contracting Officer | Amber Taylor amber.taylor.9@us.af.mil | — | 2230 Eighth Street, Bldg. 45, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7541 |
| Technical POC | Nathaniel Baldwin nathaniel.baldwin.1@us.af.mil | (937) 713-7913 | 2800 Q Street, Bldg. 824, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7913 |
| General Inquiries | AFRL.RAKHC.Office@us.af.mil |
See Also
- For detailed proposal instructions, required forms, and compliance requirements, refer to the full BAA solicitation (PDF).
- For assistance instrument (grant/cooperative agreement) proposals, see Supplemental Instructions (PDF).
- For security and S&T protection requirements, see the Security Program Questionnaire (PDF).