AFRL REGIONAL RESEARCH CONVERGENCE HUB (ARRCH) CALL 001 NORTHEAST AND MID-WEST HUBS

NAICS Code: 541715Federal Agency Name: Department of the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, AFRL - Rome Research Site, AFRL/Information Directorate, 26 Electronic Parkway, Rome, NY, 13441-4514Funding Opportunity Announcement Type: This is Call 001 against initial FOA FA8750-21-S-7007Funding Opportunity Announcement Number:  FA8750-21-S-7007-CALL001IN ACCORADNCE WITH USAF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY, OBJECTIVE III “Deepen and Expand the Scientific Enterprise”, THIS SOLICITATION IS FOR RESEARCH COLLABORATION HUBS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 10. U.S. Code 2358 note, which authorizes the DoD to establish and use its research and engineering network to support regional advanced technology clusters to encourage the development of innovative advanced technologies to address national security and homeland defense challenges AND THEREFORE IS SET ASIDE FOR ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS.ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:  An accredited institution of higher education, including a consortium of accredited institutions of

higher education is eligible to apply for and to receive funding under this announcement. See Part II, Section III.DUE DATE AND TIME:THIS WILL BE A CLOSED TWO-STEP SOLICITATION CALL: First Step:  WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME:  Only White Papers will be accepted on or before 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, 03-Aug-2021.  Late white paper submissions will not be accepted after this due date. Early white paper submission is encouraged.  See Part II, Section IV for additional information.Only white papers are due at this time.  Full proposals will be requested by the Government from those Offerors selected in the white paper evaluation process.Second Step:  PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME:  Proposals will be accepted on or before 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, 8-Sep-2021.Submission: All white paper submissions and any questions of a technical nature shall be directed to the cognizant Technical Point of Contact (TPOC) as specified below (unless otherwise specified in the technical area (email requests are preferred):TPOC and PROGRAM MANAGER:                                                          Dr. Amos Matthew Smith                                                      AFRL/RITQ                                                              525 Brooks RdRome, NY 13441-4505                                                          Telephone: (315) 330-7417                                       Email:  amos.smith.6@us.af.mil         Questions of a contractual/business nature shall be directed to the cognizant contracting officer, as specified below:Contracting Officer:Amber BuckleyAFRL/RIKA                                                             26 Electronic ParkwayRome, NY 13441-4505Email:  Amber.Buckley@us.af.milEmails must reference the solicitation (FOA) number and title of the acquisition.Type of Instrument: The Air Force intends to award Cooperative agreements.Estimated Program costs: the ARRCH efforts will have a shared ceiling value of $18,000,000.Anticipated number of awards:  The Air Force anticipates two awards for this call, one in each specified region.Brief Program Summary: The Department of the Air Force (DAF) is soliciting white papers from a university (the Performer) to develop and operate an AFRL Regional Research Convergence Hub (ARRCH), as a compliment to the DAF current laboratory structure. The ARRCH will enable rapid invention of transformational capabilities relevant to both the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the U.S. Space Force (USSF) through the “agile pursuit of the most impactful research”, as referenced in the AF Science and Technology Strategy (AFSTS).  The AFSTS directs Air Force science and technology (S&T) organizations to “enable the agility necessary for technological advances to rapidly evolve into transformational Air Force capabilities.”  AFSTS Objective III calls for expanding the Air Force’s “scientific presence in innovation hotspots, funding research in universities and partnerships.” The ARRCH will be led by a Performer who demonstrates a validated record of research and development, business incubation/entrepreneurship, and workforce development.  The Performer will enter into a cooperative agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and, with input from AFRL, will  implement a concept of operations enabling full and substantive collaboration across a regional network of member nodes comprised of additional academic institutions, industry, venture firms, national laboratories, and other R&D organizations.  This joint Performer-AFRL partnership will leverage their respective world-class research, personnel, and entrepreneurial programs to create a more physical and visible AF gateway that increases the discovery, innovation, and translation of technology of interest to the USAF and USSF.  A key characteristic of the ARRCH is a vibrant research community, agile administration and a workforce concept comprised of S&Es from all the member institutions working within integrated (multiple member) multi-disciplinary teams to execute joint research leveraging each other’s facilities and unique expertise.PLEASE SEE ATTACHMENT FOR FULL ANNOUCEMENT DETAILS.                     Amendment No. 1 to FOA FA8750-21-S-7007 Call 001The purpose of this amendment is to:Overview Information is updated to revise the due date for proposals under Call 001 to 9 SEP 2021 as shown below:DUE DATE AND TIME:THIS WILL BE A CLOSED TWO-STEP SOLICITATION CALL: First Step:  WHITE PAPER DUE DATE AND TIME:  Only White Papers will be accepted on or before 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, 03-Aug-2021.  Late white paper submissions will not be accepted after this due date. Early white paper submission is encouraged.  See Part II, Section IV for additional information.Only white papers are due at this time.  Full proposals will be requested by the Government from those Offerors selected in the white paper evaluation process.Second Step:  PROPOSAL DUE DATE AND TIME:  Proposals will be accepted on or before 4:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, 9-Sep-2021.No other changes are made.