The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center (DEVCOM Soldier Center) has issued a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for Basic and Applied Research under solicitation number W911QY-25-R-0023. The BAA is effective from February 28, 2025, to February 27, 2030, and aims to provide the Army with innovative science and technology solutions to optimize soldier performance. The Soldier Center focuses on core competencies such as aerial delivery, army training technology, individual and collective protection, material science, military nutrition, and soldier performance integration. The goal is to address the evolving threat landscape and ensure the Army's dominance through superior scientific and engineering expertise.

The purpose of this BAA is to advance state-of-the-art technologies and increase knowledge to eliminate current technology barriers. The research areas of interest include emergent materials, human performance and training, machine learning and artificial intelligence, robotics and autonomy, and synthetic biology. The BAA does not focus on specific systems or hardware solutions but rather on exploratory development areas that can provide viable solutions to future challenges faced by soldiers and small units in the operating environment of 2040.

Eligible applicants for this BAA include degree-granting colleges and universities, nonprofit research institutes, foreign organizations, and commercial firms, including large businesses, small businesses, small disadvantaged businesses, women-owned small businesses, historically underutilized business zone small businesses, veteran-owned small businesses, and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses. Government facilities and organizations are not eligible to submit proposals. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes for the majority of work under this BAA are 541713, 541714, 541715, and 541720.

The submission process involves a two-step approach to minimize proposal preparation costs. Interested offerors must first submit a concept paper electronically, which will be evaluated within 90 days. If the concept paper aligns with the BAA's intent and interests the government, the offeror will be invited to submit a formal proposal. Proposals must include technical, management, cost/price, past performance, subcontracting, and contractor representations and certifications sections. The proposal package must be valid for at least 90 days from submission.

The BAA will remain open until February 27, 2030, with awards potentially being made until June 30, 2030. Concept papers and proposals should be submitted to the electronic or physical mail address specified in the scientific and technical areas of interest. Communication with technical points of contact is encouraged before submitting a formal proposal to tailor responses to the specific needs of the DEVCOM Soldier Center. However, once a formal proposal is submitted, no further communication with the government technical point of contact is allowed.

For further inquiries and submission details, offerors should refer to the specific scientific and technical areas of interest cited in Section VI of the BAA. The BAA process aims to ensure that research efforts align with the Army's future capabilities and provide significant research and development return on investment while allowing flexibility for technology evaluation and transition across various branches of the Department of Defense.