Broad Agency Announcement and Commercial Solutions Opening

DoD uses the Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) funding mechanism to procure basic and applied research via announced scientific study and experimentation topics tailored to advance the state-of-art, increase knowledge or understanding, instead of focusing on a specific system or hardware solution.

A Commercial Solutions Opening (CSO) is a competitive procedure to acquire existing and potential innovative commercial items, technologies, capabilities, or services that fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technological advancements.

Currently, the DoD releases two topic types:

For current BAA or CSO opportunities, visit: SAM.gov.

Additional Resources:

• Mentor-Protégé Program:

  In the past five years, proteges participating in DoD’s Mentor-Protégé Program (MPP) were awarded more than $6.5 billion in contracts and subcontracts.

• Indian Incentive Program:

  The Indian Incentive Program (IIP) helps Indian organizations and Indian-owned economic enterprises win subcontracts.

• Rapid Integrated Scalable Enterprise (formerly the Rapid Innovation Fund):

  Rapid Integrated Scalable Enterprise (RISE) provides SBCs a collaborative vehicle with the Department for innovative technologies that can be rapidly inserted into acquisition programs meeting specific defense needs.

• Innovation Pathways:

  The Innovation Pathways website serves as a gateway for industry, SBCs, students, universities, and DoD organizations to discover opportunities with the Department.

• APEX Accelerators:

  The APEX Accelerators program supports the Department’s efforts to identify and help a wide range of businesses enter and participate in the defense supply-chain. The program provides the education and training to ensure that all businesses can capably participate in federal, state, and local government contracts.

  Other federal contracting programs you may be eligible for:

• Woman-Owned Small Business Federal Contract Program:

  The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to award sole-source contracts to WOSBs.

• Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Program:

  The qualities developed during military service—discipline, tenacity, and adaptability—ensure Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) are excellent entrepreneurs.

• Historically Underutilized Business Zones:

  In full and open competition, a historically underutilized business zones (HUBZones)-certified company bid receives a 10 percent price-evaluation preference.

• Small Disadvantaged Business:

  Each year, the Federal Government awards about 10 percent of all federal contract dollars, or roughly $50 billion in contracts, to small disadvantaged businesses.

• 8a Business Development Program:

  To provide a level playing field for socially and economically disadvantaged people or owned-entities and SBCs, the government limits competition for certain contracts to businesses that participate in the 8(a) Business Development Program.

  Additional Resources on Technology Transition

• OTST

• APFIT

• RDER

• STRATFI/TACFI

• STP/VTM