Applied defense R&D including advanced weapons, materials, and platform technology development. Find active federal and state r&d in physical, engineering and life sciences contracts — AI-scored against your profile across SAM.gov and 200+ portals.
Annual federal R&D spend under NAICS 541715 exceeds $20B, concentrated in DoD (DARPA, ONR, AFOSR, ARO, Army/ Navy/ Air Force labs) and select civilian agencies (DOE, NASA, DHS S&T). Contracts are predominantly cost-reimbursement (CPFF, CPAF) for basic/applied research, with increasing use of OTAs for rapid prototyping. Competition is intense but niche; incumbents with deep domain expertise in directed energy, hypersonics, autonomy, and advanced materials dominate. Demand is driven by threat-driven technology gaps, not cyclical budgets. Small businesses win via SBIR/STTR Phase II/III and as prime on small set-aside IDIQs.
These agencies are the largest buyers of r&d in physical, engineering and life sciences services and products in the federal government. Each awards contracts under NAICS 541715 regularly — build relationships with their small business offices first.
Win by demonstrating a unique technical approach and past performance on similar R&D. The single highest-leverage move is to secure a Phase II SBIR/STTR award and then pursue Phase III sole-source or set-aside contracts. For larger opportunities, team with a large prime as a key subcontractor on a 8(a) STARS III or GSA 541715 PES set-aside. Most competitions are best-value tradeoff, not LPTA; emphasize innovation, key personnel, and cost realism. Register in SAM, DSBS, and SBIR/STTR portals.
Contracts are primarily best-value tradeoff, emphasizing technical merit and past performance. Common vehicles: SBIR/STTR (Phase II/III), DoD agency IDIQs (e.g., DARPA BAA, ONR BAA), GSA 541715 PES, 8(a) STARS III, and SEWP for IT-heavy R&D. OTAs are increasingly used for rapid prototyping. Evaluation bases include scientific approach, key personnel, and cost realism.
Many DoD R&D contracts require at least a Secret facility clearance (FCL) and personnel clearances for key staff. Start the sponsorship process through a contracting officer or prime contractor early, as it can take 6-12 months.
Yes, GSA Schedule 541715 (formerly 54171) covers R&D services. However, most DoD R&D is bought via agency-specific IDIQs or OTAs, not GSA. Use GSA for civilian agency opportunities and as a gateway to subcontracting.
SBIR Phase I awards average $150K; Phase II average $1M. Full R&D contracts (IDIQ task orders) range from $500K to $50M+. The median single-award R&D contract is around $3-5M for a 3-year period.
Yes, the 8(a) STARS III GWAC includes NAICS 541715 for R&D services. Additionally, many agency-specific SBIR/STTR programs have 8(a) set-aside opportunities. Check the SBA's DSBS for active set-aside R&D contracts.
ISO 9001 or AS9100 (aerospace) are often required. For IT-intensive R&D, CMMI DEV Level 3 is common. For classified work, a Secret or TS facility clearance is the most critical certification.