Air Force Research Lab seeks small businesses for rapid innovation support

The Air Force Research Laboratory has started to canvas the small business community in search of companies that can support technology development, operational testing and other activities within AFRL’s Center for Rapid Innovation.

Also known as CRI, this team is responsible for rapidly developing and delivering solutions that address urgent operational needs in 24 months or less. CRI works to streamline the application of new and existing technologies that can address dynamic changes in the air, space, ground and cyber domains.

In a sources sought notice posted Friday, AFRL is asking small business respondents to submit capability statements of no more than 7 pages and only include unclassified information.

But this future contract also appears poised to extend into the classified arena. The accompanying performance work statement references potential access to environments requiring a Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance, the highest base-level security clearance in the U.S. government.

AFRL is also in the process of rebooting a $10 billion multiple-award vehicle focused on unclassified research-and-development work. Industry has roughly one month to weigh on that contract’s draft solicitation, which was unveiled Wednesday.

For the CRI-focused effort, AFRL plans to award the work as a task order via the government-wide OASIS professional services vehicle. The request for information is not clear as to whether AFRL will hire one or multiple companies.

AFRL is interested in hearing from companies who have ideas for how the lab can fulfill its mission to support rapid air vehicle prototype development efforts. This area includes airframes, avionics, avionics, sensors, payloads, ground control systems, communication networks and data dissemination tech.

Responses to the CRI RFI are due by 12 p.m. Eastern time on June 16.