The US Air Force is offering $49 million for research and development into microgrids and alternative energy technologies through a recently issued energy solicitation.
Released by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials & Manufacturing Directorate, the solicitation offers individual awards of $100,000 to $5 million for new and emerging technologies.
Applications can be submitted any time until May 2, 2023. The Air Force anticipates making multiple awards. There is no limit to the number of awards an applicant can win.
While the funds are available for a wide range of energy projects – from air craft fuel to industrial processes – the Air Force specifically calls out microgrids and distributed energy resources that can offer energy assurance and resilience for military installations and forward operating bases.
More specifically, the Air Force seeks microgrids, microgrid optimization, energy efficiency, distributed power, energy storage, autonomous load switching, smart controllers, infrastructure enhancements, data center improvements, and modeling, monitoring and communications.
“These technologies must increase installation mission readiness by assuring power is available, being used efficiently, physically secure, cybersecure and/or can recover form incidents,” says the solicitation (Number FA8650-18-S-5008).
As a first step, applicants must submit six-page white papers that provide t a “rough order of magnitude” cost and the nature of the research. The Air Force anticipates responding to white papers within 30 days. If the paper is accepted, the applicant then provides more detailed technical and cost proposals.
Any business – whatever the size – may apply. The solicitation does not require that applicants share in costs. Contracts will generally be cost-plus fixed fee or firm-fixed price.
In addition to seeking proposals for installations and forward bases, the Air Force also is interested in alternative energy ideas for aviation, industry, expedition, ground support and security.
The solicitation is available on FedBizOpps.gov.
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