CCDC-ARL MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY FOA | W911NF 20 S 0011

Opportunity Information: Apply for W911NF 20 S 0011

The CCDC-ARL Manufacturing Technology FOA (Funding Opportunity Number W911NF-20-S-0011) is a U.S. Army research and development funding opportunity run through the Army Contracting Command at Aberdeen Proving Ground (ACC-APG), RTP Division, in support of the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). Its purpose is to competitively identify and fund efforts that improve how the Army manufactures, sustains, and repairs critical materiel. Rather than issuing a traditional Request for Proposals (RFP), the Army is using this notice of funding availability as the standing competitive vehicle to solicit and evaluate concept papers and full proposals, with selections made through a merit-based process consistent with DoD Grants and Agreements Regulations (DoDGARS) and the competitive procedures that apply to these award types.

The work focus is manufacturing technology (ManTech): projects are expected to develop, demonstrate, and ultimately transition improved, practical, and cost-effective manufacturing solutions for Army platforms and warfighter systems. The FOA emphasizes that technology development alone is not enough; it is structured around achieving real implementation. That means proposers should plan for transition from the start and clearly show how a successful demonstration becomes an adopted process at a manufacturing facility, depot, supplier base, or other relevant stakeholder. The government highlights that key stakeholders often include acquisition community proponents, technology managers, manufacturing facilities (including organic and industrial partners), and industry performers, so proposals should show awareness of who will use the outcome and what it will take to deploy it.

ARL’s investment priorities under this FOA are aligned both with broader Department of Defense directives and with Army needs, especially in three broad areas: technologies that support future platforms, technologies that improve or extend legacy platforms, and technologies that strengthen the organic industrial base. In addition, the effort must align to the Army Modernization Priorities, which include Long-Range Precision Fires, Next Generation Combat Vehicle, Future Vertical Lift, Army Network, Air and Missile Defense, and Soldier Lethality. In practical terms, the FOA is looking for manufacturing or repair innovations that touch these priority mission areas and produce measurable benefits such as lower cost, faster schedules, improved readiness, and reduced technical or supply-chain risk compared to the current baseline process.

The Army is specifically seeking proposals that develop and demonstrate manufacturing and/or repair improvements for Army materiel, including items and materials tied to combat vehicles, armaments, and vehicle or personal protection systems. The improvements should be concrete and defensible in terms of outcomes: the proposal should be able to explain what the baseline method is today, what changes are being introduced, why they are feasible, and how the new approach reduces cost, lead time, or risk while maintaining or improving performance and quality. While the excerpt references more detailed topic descriptions in Section I.A of the FOA, the overall intent is clear: mature solutions that can be proven in a relevant environment and then transitioned into real production or sustainment workflows.

Eligibility is limited to U.S. organizations that are either for-profit or non-profit, including nonprofit research entities such as NDCs (as defined within the FOA). The government also encourages participation from businesses of all sizes and from higher education institutions, mainly through teaming arrangements led by an eligible prime organization. Applicants are expected to build teaming structures that match the FOA’s eligibility rules and to reflect those structures clearly in their submissions.

Awards under this FOA are not standard grants or procurement contracts. The intended award instruments are Technology Investment Agreements (TIAs) and Other Transactions (OTs). To be eligible for award, proposals must satisfy the statutory and regulatory criteria for at least one of these instruments, specifically the criteria in 32 CFR Part 37 for TIAs or 10 USC 2371b for OTs (also referenced in the FOA’s section on “Type of Contract/Instrument/Eligibility Criteria”). Because TIAs and OTs have distinct compliance expectations compared to FAR-based contracts and traditional assistance awards, proposers typically need to pay attention to cost sharing or nontraditional participation requirements where applicable, intellectual property and data rights considerations, and the transition and commercialization pathway that supports government adoption.

From an administrative standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and supports science and technology and other research and development activities under CFDA 12.630. The posting shows an original closing date of 2023-09-30 (with the important caveat that applicants are responsible for tracking amendments that may change dates or submission requirements). The notice does not list an award ceiling or expected number of awards in the provided excerpt, suggesting that project size and portfolio composition may vary and be determined by the government’s priorities, available funds, and the strength of submitted proposals.

In short, this FOA is a standing, competitive pathway for ARL and ACC-APG to fund manufacturing and repair technology demonstrations that can transition into Army production and sustainment. The strongest submissions are likely to be those that (1) target a high-priority Army modernization or readiness need, (2) show a credible, testable improvement over an existing manufacturing or repair baseline, (3) include a practical transition plan tied to real stakeholders and facilities, and (4) fit cleanly within the eligibility and award-instrument requirements for TIAs or OTs.

• The Dept of the Army -- Materiel Command in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CCDC-ARL MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY FOA" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.630.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2020-06-11.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-09-30. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for W911NF 20 S 0011

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