Naval Undersea Warfare Center Science And Technology Broad Agency Announcement

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport (NUWC Newport), under the U.S. Navy and Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), has released a Science and Technology Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) under Solicitation N66604‑25‑R‑0329 to solicit research proposals over a five‑year period. Its primary mission is to support undersea warfare and naval systems through research, development, test & evaluation (RDT&E), and innovation in areas relevant to naval operations. The BAA enables a broad array of scientific, engineering, and technological investigations aimed at advancing capabilities in undersea domains and related systems. The announcement is classified as a presolicitation and is open for proposal submissions through March 3, 2030. Under this BAA, NUWC Newport is interested in basic and applied research in support of undersea warfare, acoustic systems, autonomous and unmanned systems, signal processing, communications, materials, propulsion, cybersecurity, sensing, and related areas. The goal is to encourage cutting‑edge, high impact innovations that can mature into technologies usable by the fleet or integrated into naval platforms. Applicants may propose concepts beyond declared topic areas if they align with the strategic needs of NUWC Newport and undersea warfare missions. The BAA is intended to be open and flexible to evolving technology directions. Proposals follow a multi‑step submission process. Often, a white paper or initial concept summary is submitted first to assess alignment, feasibility, and interest by the Navy. If the white paper is deemed promising, applicants are invited to submit a full technical and cost proposal. The BAA allows for awards under traditional FAR-based contracts, and potentially other transaction agreements (OTAs), depending on the nature of the project, though the announcement clarifies that grants will not be awarded under this BAA. Applicants should consult the BAA documentation for precise instructions, allowable costs, formats, and evaluation criteria. There is no fixed monetary ceiling or floor stated in the public summary; each award’s funding level depends on the scope, technical challenge, and available resources within NUWC Newport’s budget. The number of awards will likewise depend on the quality of submissions, budget authority, and technical merit. There is no matching requirement mentioned in the public overview. To participate, applicants must comply with federal contracting and procurement regulations, register in SAM.gov, and adhere to applicable compliance rules (e.g. conflict of interest, security classification, intellectual property). All elements of proposals must be unclassified unless otherwise specified and must be executable under U.S. laws. The period over which the BAA is open—five years—allows for rolling submission within that window, but each individual proposal must meet its routing and milestone deadlines. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to review the full BAA documentation (available via the SAM.gov listing) and to engage early with the contracting office or technical POC (via the email NUWC_NWPT_02_BAA_Proposal_Submittal@us.navy.mil ) to clarify suitability, scope, and alignment with naval goals. This early engagement can help avoid misalignment or unproductive submissions. Because this is a federal procurement vehicle, award decisions are made by contracting officers, not based on grant‑style review alone. This BAA offers a strategic mechanism for academic institutions, nonprofit research organizations, established defense industry firms, and nontraditional entrants to contribute novel undersea warfare technologies and discoveries to U.S. naval capabilities. It remains open until March 3, 2030, but may be amended or updated; applicants should monitor the listing on SAM.gov for changes, attachments, and official modifications.

Applicants must submit proposals that clearly outline their research objectives, methodologies, and expected outcomes. The submission requirements include a detailed technical proposal and a cost proposal. Proposals will be evaluated based on their technical merit, relevance to the Navy's needs, and the potential impact of the proposed research. The evaluation criteria emphasize innovation, feasibility, and the capability of the applicant to successfully execute the proposed project.