The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is constantly looking for innovative scientific and technological solutions that can address current and future Navy and Marine Corps requirements. We want to do business with people and organizations with ground-breaking ideas, pioneering scientific research, novel technology developments and first-class support services. ONR announces current areas of interest through Broad Agency Announcements, Funding Opportunity Announcements, Special Program Announcements, Requests for Proposal or Quote, Special Notices, Requests for Information and Seaport-e. Read about the differences in these various postings and find links to specific announcements below.
To ensure fairness in the consideration of proposals for ONR systems engineering and technical assistance and/or support services, policies have been implemented to protect against organizational conflicts of interest.
Broad Agency Announcements (BAA), Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA) and BAA Calls
Most of ONR’s solicitations are for research and development and are accomplished through BAAs announcing research interests. BAAs are a streamlined method used to advertise and solicit performers for ONR research areas. A BAA or FOA is used to fill requirements for scientific study and experimentation directed toward advancing the state-of-the-art or increasing knowledge or understanding rather than focusing on a specific system or hardware solution. FOAs only result in the award of an assistance instrument and BAAs may result in the award of both acquisition and assistance instruments. BAA Calls are often released to focus attention on a specific topic and funding availability.
ONR announcements are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities or www.grants.gov. For convenience, these funding opportunities are also listed on the announcements section of the ONR website.
Commercial Solution Opening (CSO)
A CSO is a competitive process to acquire innovative commercial products and commercial services through a competitive selection of proposals resulting from a general solicitation and the peer review of such proposals to obtain solutions or new capabilities that fulfill requirements, close capability gaps or provide potential technological advances. A CSO may also be used to fulfill requirements for R&D solutions ranging from advanced component development through operational systems development. For CSO purposes, innovation is defined as any technology, process or method, including research and development that is new as of the date of proposal submission or any application of a technology, process or method that is new as of proposal submission.
ONR announcements are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities. For convenience, these funding opportunities are also listed on the announcements section of the ONR website.
Request for Proposal (RFP)
Although less frequently used than announcements, the RFP is another solicitation method. RFPs are used in negotiated acquisitions to communicate Government requirements for supplies and services where there is a common statement of work. ONR RFPs are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities.
Request for Quote (RFQ)
An RFQ is a solicitation that provides in exacting detail a list or description of all relevant parameters of the requirements. RFQs are best suited to commercial products and services. ONR RFQs are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities.
Request for Information (RFI)
An RFI is used when a government agency does not presently intend to award a contract, but wants to obtain price, delivery, other market information or capabilities for planning purposes. Responses to these notices are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. ONR RFIs are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities.
Special Notice (SN)
An SN provides information about Industry Days, other events and other information that, while not captured in one of the other funding announcements, may be relevant to a given opportunity. ONR SNs are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities.
SeaPort
ONR uses SeaPort to acquire support services. SeaPort is the Navy's electronic platform for acquiring support services in 22 functional areas including engineering, financial management and program management. The SeaPort portal provides a standardized, efficient means of soliciting offers from amongst the diverse population of large and small businesses and their approved team members. All task orders are competitively solicited, awarded and managed using the SeaPort platform. The Navy conducts rolling admissions to allow new industry partners with participation opportunities.
Get information on SeaPort Login (navy.mil).
Sole Source Requirements and Justification and Approvals (J&As)
A J&A is a legal document required by Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) for contracting on a sole source basis (i.e. not providing for competition). J&As set forth the facts for the determination that a sole source contract is appropriate. Sole source requirements and J&As are posted at https://sam.gov/content/opportunities.
Unsolicited Proposals
What is an Unsolicited Proposal?
An Unsolicited Proposal is a written application for a new or innovative idea submitted on the initiative of the offeror for the purpose of obtaining a contract with ONR, and is not in response to an RFP, BAA, Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) topic, Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) topic, Program Research and Development Announcement, or any other Government-initiated solicitation or program.
The preferred method for submitting ideas and concepts to ONR, in lieu of submission of an Unsolicited Proposal, is to respond to an open solicitation. Types of solicitations used by ONR include: BAAs, SBIR topics, STTR topics, RFPs, FOAs, or other ONR-sponsored solicitations.
- For more detailed information on how to find ONR solicitation opportunities, please review the sections above.
- For details on the Department of the Navy’s SBIR and STTR opportunities, please visit our SBIR/STTR page.
If after reviewing ONR’s open solicitation opportunities and concluding that submission of an Unsolicited Proposal is the most appropriate course of action, please note that there are strict policies and procedures concerning the submission, receipt, evaluation, and acceptance or rejection of an Unsolicited Proposal as set forth in FAR Subpart 15.6 – Unsolicited Proposals.
Contents of an Unsolicited Proposal
Visit FAR Part 15.605 for guidance regarding the content that should be included in a properly submitted unsolicited proposal.
Proper Marking of Unsolicited Proposals
An unsolicited proposal may include data that the offeror does not want disclosed to the public for any purpose or used by the Government except for evaluation purposes. If the offeror wishes to restrict the data, the title page must be properly marked using the language referenced in FAR Part 15.609 – Limited Use of Data.
Submission of Unsolicited Proposals
All Unsolicited Proposals shall be submitted to ONR.NCR.BD022.list.All@us.navy.mil.
Responsibility
For requirements concerning responsible prospective contractors see FAR Subpart 9.1, and for organizational conflicts of interest see FAR Subpart 9.5.
Evaluation of Unsolicited Proposals
All unsolicited proposals are reviewed in accordance with FAR Part 15.603 and evaluated in accordance with FAR Part(s) 15.606-1 and 15.606-2.