AFRL Rocket Lab Hermes BAA
This BAA funds multiple Air Force research and development contracts for novel concepts and technology maturation related to rocket laboratory capabilities, with awards issued from white papers and future calls.
⚑ Open BAA with white paper submissions and future calls; multiple awards anticipated; maximum single award value under $100M; federal contract solicitation, not a grant.
This is a defense/aerospace applied R&D BAA aimed at maturing novel technologies and hardware, which is far outside this team’s social-behavioral research program. The only tenuous overlap is the national security theme for a few members, but there is no clear fit with their survey, risk perception, warning communication, or policy-evaluation lines.
JUDGED AGAINST THE ROSTER'S PUBLICATION DOSSIER · GPT-5.4-MINI · 2026-07-07
Unit fits — one characterization, each unit's own rules
| Physical Sciences & Engineering (demo) | 90 strong | technical depth: central; funds applied research |
| IPPRA | 45 partial | portfolio topics: energy, national_security_defense; social/behavioral work is none; funds applied research; capped at 45 (limited social-science role) |
| Tom Love Innovation Hub | 45 partial | funds applied research; prototyping/demonstration stage; deep-tech content |
Description
Change to Secondary POC - 24 Jan 2023 Amendment of BAA - 9 Dec 2022 Annual Review and update to Capability Repository - 18 Aug 22 Amendment of BAA - 4 May 22 Amendment of BAA - 13 April 22 Amendment of BAA - 8 Mar 22 Amendment of BAA - 26 Jan 22 Annual Review and Amendment of BAA - 28 Dec 21 AFRL Rocket Lab Hermes BAA is a two-step open BAA with the ability of issuing future calls that enable study efforts on novel concepts, as well as research and development contracts to mature specific technologies to appropriate technology readiness levels (TRL) depending on end use. Specific award details are described below, but the Government anticipates awarding multiple contracts of varying duration and value. However, the maximum single award value issued against this BAA is less than $100M. This BAA allows consideration of white papers as well as calls issued by the Government when specific requirements are identified.
Eligibility
Applicant restrictions (federal contract). Set-aside: . Notice type: Solicitation. Organization: DEPT OF DEFENSE / DEPT OF THE AIR FORCE / FA9300 AFTC PZR.
Apply
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.