STAR-FISH CALL 017 - Secure By Design

Updated Oct 22, 2026

Solicitation from the Department of the Air Force, for work in Kirtland AFB, New Mexico. Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7), 22 days left.

Official notice and attachments

Description

FA9453-21-S-0001 Air Force Research Laboratory/Space Vehicle Directorate ANNOUNCEMENT OVERVIEW CALL 017, Topic Area 1. Space Technology Advanced Research - Fast-tracking Innovative Software and Hardware (STAR-FISH) DATE: 26 August 2026 NAICS Code: The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 541715 for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Phillips Research Site ARA Title: Secure by Design Space Vehicle (STAR-FISH), Announcement, procurement for experimentation of spaceflight and space-related signal, energy, and transportation technologies. ARA Number: FA9453-21-S-0001 CALL Type: Two-Step Process, initial announcement CALL Title: Secure by Design Space Vehicle CALL Number: 017 White Papers and/or Proposal Due Date and Time: The Government is requesting White Papers at this time for the Topic Area identified above.

White Papers addressing any other technology area identified in the basic Advanced Research Announcement (ARA) will not be accepted at this time unless a CALL for that specific area is posted. White Papers or proposals received after the due dates and times shall be governed by the provisions of FAR 52.215- 1(c)(3). It should be noted that this installation observes strict security procedures to enter the facility.

These security procedures are NOT considered an interruption of normal Government processes, and white papers or proposals received after the stated date and time in the CALL as a result of security delays will be considered “late.” Furthermore, if offerors utilize commercial carriers in the delivery of white papers or proposals, they may not honor time-of-day delivery guarantees on military installations.

Early submission is encouraged. Brief CALL Summary: See Attachment 3, Statement of Objective (SOO) Submission: Two-Step Process First Step: The due date and time for White Papers submitted in response to this CALL is no later than (NLT) 13 Nov 2026, 1600 (Mountain Standard Time (MST). Question & Answer Session Online – 0900 AM, 22 October 2026 White Papers must be prepared using the provided Template, saved as a PDF and submitted via DoD Safe, (safe.apps.mil/) NLT 13 November 2026, 1600 (Mountain Standard Time (MST).

In order to submit the White Papers, please contact the Contracting Officer, Mr. Gabriel Salazar, email: [email protected], Ms. Heather Miller, email: [email protected], or Ms. Erika Trujillo; email: [email protected] ; no later than three (3) workdays prior to the submission deadline to receive a DoD Safe drop-off request. A drop-off request is valid for 14 days.

Offerors will receive an automated email containing the instructions for uploading the file(s). If you do not receive an automated e-mail message for your drop-off request within 3 business days, please contact the Contracting Officer. See Attachment 2 (STAR-FISH White Paper Template) for White Paper Template.

No classified white paper submission will be accepted. The Template can be accessed and downloaded from the following link: valideval.com/star_documents/ (please download a new copy of the template prior to submitting your white paper to ensure that you have the most current version). Each White Paper submitted needs to include the company’s Unique Entity ID (UEI) per System for Award Management (SAM) with the DUNS Number.

No classified white paper submissions will be accepted. Second Step: Proposal Due Date and Time – To be provided in “Requests for Proposals (RFP)” sent to offerors whose white papers are selected. Announcement Request: Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate Phillips Research Site is soliciting white papers on the research effort described in Attachment 2 Statement of Objectives pursuant to the authority of 10 U.S.C 4023, Procurement for Experimental Purposes.

Announcement Modifications: Reference ARA with CALLS, FA9453-21-S-0001, Announcement Overview and Full Text. Type of Contract/Instrument: The Space Force anticipates awarding Cost Plus Fixed Fee (CPFF) contracts that will have a base period and two options “Government has the right not to exercise the option” as a result of this CALL, but also reserves the right to award the instrument best suited to the nature of research proposed.

Please note, the offeror shall have an approved Accounting System in accordance with FAR 16.301-3, Limitations, and other approved Business Systems. Anticipated Number of Awards: The Air Force anticipates awarding multiple contracts. However, the Air Force does reserve the right to make one award, more than one award, or no awards pursuant to this CALL.

System for Award Management (SAM) Registration: Reference ARA with CALLS, FA9453- 21-S-0001, Announcement Overview. Points of Contact: Technical Manager (Primary): Mr. Joseph “Dan” Trujillo, AFRL/RJSW, [email protected] Program Manager (Alternate): Mr. Manual Gonzales, AFRL/RVFC, [email protected] Contracting Officer (Primary): Mr. Gabriel Salazar, [email protected] Contracting Officer / Specialist: Heather Miller, [email protected] Contracting Specialist: Ms. Erika Trujillo; email: [email protected] ADVANCED RESEARCH ANNOUNCMENT WITH CALLS FA9453-21-S-0001 Air Force Research Laboratory/Space Vehicle Directorate FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT CALL 017 as of 29 June 2026 NAICS Code: The NAICS Code for this acquisition is 541715 for Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology), and the small business size standard is 1,000 employees.

Federal Agency Name: Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Phillips Research Site ARA Title: Space Technology Advanced Research - Fast-tracking Innovative Software and H

The description continues in the official notice.

Contracting contact

• Gabriel Salazar · [email protected] · (385) 682-7155
• Heather Miller · [email protected] · (505) 853-4416

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 8, 2026: Solicitation Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7)
• Oct 7, 2026: Solicitation Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7)
• Oct 7, 2026: Solicitation Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7)
• Oct 7, 2026: Solicitation Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7)
• Oct 7, 2026: Solicitation Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7)
• Oct 7, 2026: Solicitation Due Nov 13, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-7)
• Aug 24, 2026: Solicitation Due Oct 12, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-6)
• Aug 24, 2026: Solicitation Due Oct 12, 2026, 4:00 PM (UTC-6)

Companies that win this kind of work

Federal contractors paid for research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences work, who also hold Air Force contracts (last 12 months): possible competitors, or partners to team with.

• The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory LLC $1.9 billion in this trade
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About the buyer

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.

Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences contracts right now

There are 254 open government contract opportunities in this trade (NAICS 541715), 40 posted in the last 7 days; 32% are set aside for small businesses. The agencies buying the most are Department of the Air Force, Department of the Army and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Most of the work with a stated place is in Maryland, District of Columbia and Virginia. A notice in this trade gives a median of 80 days from posting to deadline; this one gives 23 days.

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