Research and Development (RAD) Directed Energy (RD) University Assistance Instruments
Can you apply?
This grant is for universities and research institutions conducting directed energy research for the U.S. Air Force. Applicants must be U.S.-based entities eligible to enter federal agreements with the Department of Defense. Research proposals must advance Air Force capabilities in directed energy technologies and weapons systems.
The program uses a rolling application period from July 2024 through July 2029. Letter of Intent submission is mandatory before full proposals are considered. Awards support multi-year research projects with funding up to $49 million per agreement.
This is a highly competitive federal research program requiring substantial technical expertise and institutional capacity. Successful applicants typically have established relationships with Air Force research facilities and demonstrated track records in defense-related R&D.
Program description
Original Solictation:
- Closing Date of the FOA
- FROM: 18 July 2024
- TO: 18 July 2029
- Cost Ceiling
- $49M
- Contracting/Agreements Points of Contact (POC)
- Agreements Officer
- Mariah Salazar
- Agreements Specialist
- Monique Esquibel-Sena
- Emails: mariah.salazar@us.af.mil; monique.esquibel_sena@us.af.mil
Solicitation Amend 1:
- Closing Date of the FOA
- FROM: 18 July 2024
- TO: 18 July 2029
- Cost Ceiling
- $49M
- Contracting/Agreements Points of Contact (POC)
- Agreements Officer
- Mariah Salazar
- Agreements Specialist
- Monique Esquibel-Sena
- Emails: mariah.salazar@us.af.mil; monique.esquibel_sena@us.af.mil
(Revisions made: Updated information on Mandatory Letter of Intent to allow for interested parties to submit Letters of Intent through Valid Eval portal)
Solicitation Amend 2:
- Closing Date of the FOA
- FROM: 18 July 2024
- TO: 18 July 2029
- Cost Ceiling
- $49M
- Contracting/Agreements Points of Contact (POC)
- Agreements Officer
- Mariah Salazar
- Agreements Specialist
- Monique Esquibel-Sena
- Emails: mariah.salazar@us.af.mil; monique.esquibel_sena@us.af.mil
(Revisions made: Added detail for Letter of Intent Evaluation Criteria)
Solicitation Amend 3:
- Closing Date of the FOA
- FROM: 18 July 2024
- TO: 18 July 2029
- Cost Ceiling
- $49M
- Contracting/Agreements Points of Contact (POC)
- Agreements Officer
- Mariah Salazar
- Alternate Agreements Officer
- Jennifer Jaramillo
- Agreements Specialist
- Monique Esquibel-Sena
- Brendan Merritt
- Emails: mariah.salazar@us.af.mil; monique.esquibel_sena@us.af.mil, jennifer.jaramillo@us.af.mil, brendan.merritt@us.af.mil
(Revisions made: Changed Letter of Intent review from 10 business days to 30 business days, Added verbiage to Section, D. Review and Selection Process, on Security Risk Review, added Agreement Specialist, Brendan Merritt, brendan.merritt@us.af.mil)
Solicitation Amend 4:
- Closing Date of the FOA
- FROM: 18 July 2024
- TO: 18 July 2029
- Cost Ceiling
- $49M
- Contracting/Agreements Points of Contact (POC)
- Agreements Officer
- Mariah Salazar
- Alternate Agreements Officer
- Jennifer Jaramillo
- Agreements Specialist
- Monique Esquibel-Sena
- Emails: mariah.salazar@us.af.mil; monique.esquibel_sena@us.af.mil, jennifer.jaramillo@us.af.mil
(Revisions made: Changed Attachment 2 of Solicitation to DoD R&D General Terms and Conditions MARCH 2025. Removed Agreement Specialist, Brendan Merritt, brendan.merritt@us.af.mil)
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Mandatory Letter of Intent
- SF-424 or equivalent federal application form
- Project Narrative and Technical Proposal
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity and Past Performance documentation
- Security Risk Assessment (DoD requirement)
Program contact
- 👤 Mariah Salazar Contracting and Grants Officer
- 📧 mariah.salazar@us.af.mil
- 📞 5056108624
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 12.800 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$536,656,761
-
$402,229,566
-
$316,957,199
-
$122,126,321
-
$76,955,949
-
$74,687,361
-
$61,554,981
-
$49,791,410
-
$41,621,494
-
$37,440,610
Top States by Funding
- CA 16 awards $123.7M
- OH 3 awards $77.2M
- MA 5 awards $47.6M
- NY 4 awards $31.3M
- TX 4 awards $30.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 12.800). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $874,454,904 | |
| 2025 | $652,065,758 | |
| 2026 est. | $700,000,000 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this RAD Directed Energy grant?
U.S. universities and research institutions eligible to enter federal cooperative agreements with the Department of Defense. Contact the Air Force agreements officer to verify your organization's eligibility.
When is the deadline?
The program has a rolling deadline extending through July 18, 2029. Letter of Intent submission is mandatory and reviewed within 30 business days before full applications are invited.
What types of research are supported?
Research advancing directed energy technologies, weapons systems, and capabilities of interest to the U.S. Air Force. Proposals should align with Air Force Research Laboratory priorities.
How competitive is this funding?
Highly competitive federal research funding. The $49 million ceiling is shared across all awards in this cycle. Strong institutional credentials and prior DoD relationships significantly improve competitiveness.
What is the typical award range?
Individual awards vary widely depending on scope. Contact the program officer for guidance on appropriate project budgets and funding requests.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Submit a Letter of Intent early even if your proposal isn't finalized. Allow 30+ business days for review and feedback before submitting a full application.
- Align your research objectives directly with Air Force Research Laboratory strategic priorities and published capability gaps.
- Demonstrate institutional capacity to manage complex federal contracts. Include relevant past performance and key personnel experience.
- Budget realistically for the full multi-year project scope. Underestimating costs weakens competitiveness and creates execution risk.
- Engage directly with Air Force program officers during proposal development to clarify technical requirements and expectations.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Submitting proposals misaligned with Air Force Research Laboratory priorities without prior outreach to program officers. Failing to submit mandatory Letter of Intent or submitting it without sufficient detail. Underestimating institutional requirements for managing large multi-year federal research agreements.
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