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 primarily an applied aerospace/defense R&D BAA for rocket-lab technologies and TRL maturation, which is far outside this team’s usual social-behavioral risk, communication, and policy research. Andrew Fox is the only plausible fit at the margin because of his national-security/threat-adjacent work, but even that is a stretch and not a natural PI-level match.
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.
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