Ramona Adams
The U.S. Air Force has requested proposals from small businesses that can research and develop technologies to optimize the U.S. military’s space systems.
The Air Force said Friday in a FedBizOpps notice that the Spacecraft Object Tracking and Characterization program will cover space systems such as launch platforms, payload adapters, on-orbit systems, communications links, ground systems and user equipment.
SCOTCH will involve basic, applied and advanced research; advanced component and technology development; prototyping; system development and demonstration; and operational system development.
The program will extend the range of technology development from experimentation to testing and demonstration in relevant environments.
The Air Force posted the notice to attract small business participants, but the broad agency announcement is for open competition and is not a small business set-aside contract.
The service branch expects to award one or more cost-plus-fixed-fee contracts as a result of the solicitation.
Interested vendors may submit proposals until April 9.
