Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for NSWC Crane | N0016424SNB35

Opportunity Information: Apply for N0016424SNB35

The Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for NSWC Crane (Funding Opportunity Number N0016424SNB35) is a U.S. Navy science and technology grant opportunity intended to attract revolutionary research concepts and technology demonstrators that could meaningfully advance NSWC Crane's mission areas. NSWC Crane is a field activity under the Naval Sea Systems Command and supports a broad set of national security stakeholders across the Department of Defense and other federal agencies. The point of this BAA is to create an entry path for genuinely new ideas, especially for needs that are not already covered by other NSWC Crane solicitations. Because of that, applicants are strongly encouraged to review existing Crane solicitations first to avoid duplicating work, and to speak with the topic points of contact to confirm alignment and refine the concept before investing heavily in a proposal.

NSWC Crane's stated mission spans the full spectrum of defense engineering and sustainment support: research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition engineering, in-service engineering, and technical support. In practical terms, Crane is looking for innovations that can be transitioned into capabilities that help the Navy and broader defense community, including component-level and system-level product and industrial engineering for areas like surface sensors, strategic systems, special warfare devices, and electronic warfare systems. The guiding theme is "Harnessing the Power of Technology for the Warfighter," and the organization emphasizes lifecycle impact, meaning ideas that can ultimately be engineered, tested, fielded, supported, and improved over time.

The BAA is organized around three broad focus areas: Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions, and Electronic Warfare. Within those, NSWC Crane identifies ten assigned technical capabilities (TCs) where it is actively seeking innovative solutions. These are: (1) Electronic Warfare (EW), (2) Infrared and Pyrotechnic Countermeasures, (3) Strategic Systems Hardware, (4) Expeditionary Warfare and Systems, (5) Advanced Electronics, (6) Sensors and Surveillance Systems, (7) Hypersonic Weapon Systems, (8) Power and Energy Systems, (9) Electro-optic and Infrared Technologies, and (10) Force-level EW Mission Analysis, Advanced Concepts and Technologies. Each TC contains multiple thrust areas, so the opportunity is intentionally broad and meant to capture a wide variety of early-stage through demonstration-ready ideas.

A key feature of this announcement is that overlap across technical capabilities is expected and even welcomed. NSWC Crane notes that there is intentional overlap among the listed TCs, since many modern defense technologies cut across domains (for example, an advanced sensor concept could also depend on power/energy innovations and advanced electronics, or an EW concept could involve electro-optic/infrared technologies and mission analysis). Proposals are expected to identify one principal TC along with any additional TCs the work supports. Concepts that contribute to multiple TCs are described as strongly desired, though not required, which signals that integrated, cross-cutting approaches may be viewed favorably when they are credible and technically justified.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary grant opportunity categorized under Science and Technology and other Research and Development (CFDA 12.335). Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally implies a wide range of potential applicants may apply (such as universities, nonprofit research organizations, and private industry), subject to standard federal and defense-related requirements. The opportunity was created on 2024-02-08, and the listed original closing date is 2025-02-07. While the provided source data does not specify an award ceiling or expected number of awards, the structure of a long-range BAA typically indicates an interest in receiving and assessing a pipeline of ideas over time, with awards depending on technical merit, mission fit, funding availability, and the Navy's evolving priorities.

Overall, this BAA is best understood as an open call for high-impact, innovative R&D and prototype demonstrations that can strengthen NSWC Crane's ability to deliver operational advantages in expeditionary and strategic contexts, improve electronic warfare effectiveness, and advance enabling technologies such as sensors, advanced electronics, power systems, countermeasures, electro-optics/infrared, and hypersonic-related capabilities. Applicants who can clearly explain the mission relevance, identify the appropriate technical capability areas, and articulate a believable path from research to demonstration and eventual transition will be the most aligned with what NSWC Crane is signaling it wants from this long-range announcement.

• The NSWC - CRANE in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Long Range Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) for NSWC Crane" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.335.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-08.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-02-07. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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