This is an open-ended Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) to solicit proposals for the "Metamaterial Materials Development for RF and Optical Applications" Program which will be managed and executed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, Materials & Manufacturing Directorate, Non-Metallic Materials Division (AFRL/RXB), Wright Research Site. This BAA is anticipated to remain "open" for three (3) years.

The overall objective of this program is to provide the Government with a procurement vehicle for executing the above named program. A metamaterial for the purpose of this BAA is defined as an artificial material with an engineered permittivity, permeability, and loss. Metamaterials can be grouped into the following categories: (a) double positive, where the permittivity and permeability are simultaneously positive and close in value to each other over a discreet bandwidth (b) Zero index, where the permittivity and permeability are simultaneously zero over a discrete bandwidth (c) double negative, where the permittivity and permeability are simultaneously negative over a discrete bandwidth. These metamaterials are potentially useful for RF antennas, filters, circulators, and frequency selective surfaces; as well as optical / IR beam steering, compact optical systems, mirrors, optical circuitry, interconnects, filters and limiter applications. The objective is to demonstrate transitionable metamaterial technologies for RF and Optical/IR applications. The scope of this BAA will cover the modeling, synthesis, processing, device fabrication/prototyping, production and testing of materials which fall into the categories above.

Multiple contract awards are anticipated via release of this BAA Nr. 08-14-PKM announcement. This announcement describes the overall program. Calls to the BAA/solicitation will be issued to request specific efforts in one or more of the technical areas: BAA Calls will contain descriptions of the efforts to be addressed, anticipated period of performance, and the expected dollar range for proposals. Once a BAA Call is issued on the Federal Business Opportunities (FedBizOpps) website, offerors will have a limited number of days to submit proposals (White Papers first if using the two step procedures). Proposals received outside of the set forth period (i.e. a BAA Call already issued and the proposal due date has passed, or a BAA Call has not yet been issued) will not be reviewed and will be returned to the offeror. NOTE: Proposal receipt after the due date and time shall be governed by the provisions of FAR 52.215-1(c)(3). Multiple BAA Calls are anticipated and may be announced sequentially or concurrently. The Government also reserves the right to make no award against any subsequent BAA Call.