HERMES BAA CALL: Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine-Combined Cycle (RDRE-CC) Flight Demonstration
Updated
Special Notice from the Department of the Air Force, for work in Edwards, California. Due Nov 16, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-8), 27 days left.
| Solicitation number | FA9300-20-S-0001-CALL-RDRE-CC |
|---|---|
| Agency | Department of the Air Force |
| Office | FA9300 Aftc Pzr |
| Notice type | Special Notice |
| Set-aside | None |
| Trade (NAICS) | Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715) |
| Product or service code | AC11 |
| Place of performance | Edwards, California |
| Posted | Oct 19, 2026 |
| Response deadline | Nov 16, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-8) (27 days left) |
| Add the deadline to | Google Calendar · Apple / Outlook (.ics) |
Official notice and attachments
Description
AMENDMENT 0001 - NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF TECHNICAL Q&AS (DISTRIBUTION C) The purpose of this update is to notify interested parties that official Government Responses to Industry Questions has been finalized. Because these Q&As address technical details of the Call, they have been marked as Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) under Distribution Statement C (Distribution authorized to U.S. Government agencies and their contractors).
INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESS:
- Previously Vetted Contractors (Already Approved for Attachment 1): Please request access to "Attachment 2 - Call Q&A (Distribution C)" via the SAM.gov "Attachments" portal. CRITICAL REQUIREMENT: You MUST enter your company's CAGE Code in the "Reason for Request" text box on SAM.gov. Access will be cross-referenced against the Government's approved registration log and granted immediately upon validation. Requests submitted without a CAGE Code will be rejected.
- New Requestors: If you have not yet been vetted, you must request access to both Attachment 1 and Attachment 2 simultaneously.
You must submit your active Joint Certification Program (JCP) details, CAGE Code, and a valid US-citizen company email address in accordance with the original access protocols detailed below. END of AMENDMENT 0001 SPECIAL NOTICE – CALL FOR PROPOSALS Department of the Air Force / Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Rocket Propulsion Division – Edwards AFB, CA HERMES Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) FA9300-20-S-0001 CALL: Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine-Combined Cycle (RDRE-CC) Flight Demonstration Parent Solicitation Number: FA9300-20-S-0001 Call Identifier: FA9300-20-S-0001-CALL-RDRE-CC Prior Market Research Notice: RFIFA930026R0001 NAICS Code: 541715 – Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) Product Service Code (PSC): AC11 – National Defense R&D Services; Department of Defense; Basic Research Response Date (Step 1 - White Papers): [16 NOV 2026] at 1600 PST Set-Aside: Full and Open Competition (under RFO 35.102) 1.
Program Description The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rocket Propulsion Division (AFRL/RJP), located at Edwards AFB, CA, is issuing a formal Two-Step Call for Proposals under the overarching HERMES Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) FA9300-20-S-0001. This Call follows the market research previously conducted and publicized under RFI Notice ID RFIFA930026R0001. AFRL/RJP seeks innovative research and development approaches to mature advanced Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine-Combined Cycle (RDRE-CC) propulsion systems from Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 to TRL 6.
This research effort is intended to culminate in a ground-launched, sounding-rocket-boosted flight demonstration to validate the system's operational viability for future High-Speed Affordable Mass Munitions (HAMM). The scope encompasses: Maturation and demonstration of RDRE-CC propulsion technology through RDRE development and test, integrated RDRE-CC direct-connect and freejet testing, vehicle development, and flight demonstration.The anticipated Period of Performance (PoP) for resultant award(s) is 36 to 48 months.
2. Acquisition Structure (Two-Step BAA Process) In accordance with RFO 35.102 and Section IV of the Hermes Master BAA, this Call utilizes a Two-Step solicitation process: Step 1: White Paper Submission Interested offerors are invited to submit a concise White Paper outlining their proposed technical architecture, compliance with the seven Specific Test Objectives (STOs), schedule milestones, and a Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) cost.
No contract awards will be made based solely upon Step 1 White Paper submissions. Step 2: Request for Proposals (RFP) The Government will evaluate White Papers using a Peer/Scientific Review process based on the criteria published in the Call. Only those offerors whose White Papers are evaluated as having high technical merit, relevance to HAMM objectives, and for which funding is available, will be formally invited to submit a full, high-fidelity Technical and Cost Proposal.
The Government anticipates completing its Step 1 White Paper evaluations and issuing notifications within approximately six (6) to eight (8) weeks following the submission closing date. 3. Submission Guidelines & Page Limits Format: Submissions must be in Adobe PDF format, standard business font (10-point minimum), double-spaced, with 1-inch margins.
Page Limitations: Core White Paper: Strictly limited to ten (10) pages (excluding the single, self-explanatory Title Page). Technical Appendix (Optional): Offerors may include an optional appendix of up to five (5) pages, strictly restricted to engineering drawings, CAD schematics, aerothermal performance curves, test data summaries, and modeling results. (Narrative marketing or promotional text is prohibited in the appendix).
Enforcement: Pages exceeding the stated 10+5 limits will be removed prior to evaluation and will not be reviewed. 4. Security & Access to Controlled Call Document (Distribution Statement C) The detailed technical requirements, vehicle constraints, and Specific Test Objectives (STOs) for this Call are contained within the formal Call Document, which contains militarily critical technology and has been designated: DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT C: Distribution authorized to U.S. Government Agencies and their contractors; Critical Technology, Export Controlled; 14 September 2026.
Other requests shall be referred to AFRL/RJP, 5 Pollux Drive, Edwards AFB, CA 93524-7048. To safeguard this Controlled Technical Information (CTI) in accordance with DoDI 5230.24 and DoDD 5230.25, the document is hosted on SAM.gov as a Controlled Attachment: Eligibility: Access is restricted to certified U.S. defense contractors
The description continues in the official notice.
Contracting contact
- Mathew Pierson · [email protected]
- Kameelah Purdom · [email protected]
As published on the official notice. Ask questions in writing and before any questions deadline the notice sets.
Is your business small enough?
For NAICS 541715, a business counts as small if it has no more than 11 employees (SBA size standard, with exceptions in the notes). This notice is set aside, so only businesses under that size, or in the named program, can bid. SBA table, current as of Oct 15, 2026.
Notice history
- Oct 1, 2026: Sources Sought Due Nov 16, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-8)
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The Department of the Air Force awarded $83.0 billion in contracts in the last 12 months; its biggest suppliers were The Boeing Company, The Boeing Company and Raytheon Company. See what Air Force is buying now.
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