BAA

A BAA is a general solicitation published by a federal agency to announce its interest in a broad research area. Unlike a Request for Proposal (RFP), which specifies detailed requirements, a BAA invites innovative approaches to solve a problem. Proposals are evaluated based on scientific merit, not lowest price.

BAAs are used extensively by the Department of Defense (DARPA, AFRL, ONR, Army Research Lab), intelligence agencies, and other R&D-heavy agencies. They are governed by FAR 6.102(d)(2) and allow agencies to fund multiple proposals from different offerors under a single announcement.

BAAs can remain open for extended periods — sometimes years — with rolling submission deadlines. This makes them more accessible than traditional solicitations, which have strict one-time deadlines. For startups, BAAs represent a significant opportunity to propose novel solutions.

Many BAAs accept white papers as an initial screening step before requesting full proposals, which reduces the upfront effort of applying. Matter Labs helps startups identify relevant BAAs and craft compelling white papers.