Low-Cost Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LC CSAC)
This notice funds for-profit-led teams to design, manufacture, and deliver a low-cost, battery-powered chip-scale atomic clock meeting CSAC-class size, weight, power, and performance targets.
RESTRICTED TO: SMALL BUSINESS SBIR STTR
⚑ For-profit firms only; consortium may apply if led by a for-profit firm. · Technology investment agreement under ARL BAA, not a standard grant. · Goal is a deliverable hardware product: design, manufacture, and delivery of clocks. · No deadline stated in the notice.
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 100 strong | SBIR/STTR — core Hub pipeline (faculty founders + small-business partners); funds commercialization; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 45 partial | technical depth: central; funds commercialization (capped) |
| IPPRA | 17 none | peripheral portfolio topic: national_security_defense; social/behavioral work is none; funds commercialization — not a research fit; university can only partner, not lead |
Description
**PLEASE REVIEW FULL SPECIAL NOTICE**
Funding Opportunity Title: Low-Cost Chip-Scale Atomic Clock (LC CSAC)
Funding Instrument Type: Technology investment agreement
The aim of this Special Notice under the ARL BAA (W911NF-17-S-0003), under Grants.gov Opportunity W911NF-17-S-0003-SPECIALNOTICE-LC-CSAC, is to fund a team or multiple teams to design, manufacture, and deliver a battery-powered atomic clock that achieves identical (or better) size, weight, and power (SWaP) and performance to the commercially available chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) with a selling price goal of < $300/unit in high volume.
Precise timing is critical for numerous Army applications such as navigation, communications, surveillance, and synchronization of sensors and systems. Assured PNT solutions currently rely on acquiring GPS signals, which may not be readily available in increasingly contested environments. Commercially available silicon MEMS and quartz oscillators (TCXO, OCXO) are unable to provide GPS holdover in the event of a GPS outage, except for high-end OCXOs that may be considered large and power hungry for certain applications. To ease reliance on GPS, long-holdover clocks with SWaP-C appropriate for various DoD platforms are necessary to enable mission-critical functions even in contested environments. Current high-performance atomic clocks (maser, laser-cooled cesium fountain) serve as standards and are large, expensive, and require regular monitoring and exquisite environmental control.
Since the early 2000s, the chip-scale atomic clock (CSAC) has been developed and successfully matured into a commercial product with DARPA and industry investment. While an Army/Air Force/OSD Manufacturing Technology effort further reduced the manufacturing cost1, the current selling price is still prohibitive for high-volume, low-SWaP DoD platforms. There is an opportunity to leverage the many advances in MEMS, photonics, and atomic physics over the past two decades to develop state-of-the-art, high-performance, battery-powered atomic clocks with improved manufacturability, significantly reduced cost, and improved performance.
This special notice seeks proposals from one or more for-profit firms in accordance with 32 CFR 37.210. A consortium, led by a for-profit firm, is also encouraged.
Points of Contact:
Jonathan Hoffman
jonathan.e.hoffman.civ@mail.mil
Jenna Chan
Jenna.f.chan.ctr@mail.mil
Eligibility
This special notice seeks proposals from one or more for-profit firms in accordance with 32 CFR 37.210. A consortium, led by a for-profit firm, is also encouraged.
Apply
View on Grants.gov → CONTACT: Christopher D Justice Contract Specialist <christopher.d.justice4.civ@mail.mil>
Proposal brief SEE AN EXAMPLE →
A one-page internal memo: fit assessment, submission requirements, document scaffold, and next steps dated back from the deadline — tailored to your project idea if you add one.
Proposal shell · Department of Defense (BAA-style) conventions SEE A DOD EXAMPLE →
Funder-faithful document skeletons — Department of Defense (BAA-style)'s document set with section headings, page limits, reviewer guidance, and writing prompts; add a project idea to get [DRAFT] starter bullets. Download as .md for Word or Overleaf.