What Is a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA)?
A broad agency announcement (BAA) is an open call where an agency asks for research ideas and proposals in broad topic areas, not for one specific product.
BAA (broad agency announcement) in plain English
Agencies use BAAs for scientific study and experimentation that advances the state of the art, mostly basic and applied research. The notice lists the areas of interest, how to submit and how proposals will be judged. It stays open for a stated period, and the agency republishes it at least once a year.
A BAA isn't a typical solicitation. Under FAR 35.016, proposals are judged through a peer or scientific review, mainly on technical merit, importance to the agency's programs and funds available, instead of being ranked against each other on price.
BAAs are posted on SAM.gov, often under NAICS 541715 (research and development in the physical, engineering and life sciences). Some agencies issue their SBIR and STTR solicitations as BAAs.
Related terms
- SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research): SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) is a federal program that pays small businesses to do research and development. The awards aren't loans.
- STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer): STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) works like SBIR, but you must team up with a research institution, such as a university.
- OTA (other transaction agreement): An other transaction agreement (OTA) is a government deal that isn't a standard contract, grant or cooperative agreement, so the FAR doesn't apply.
- Solicitation: A solicitation is an agency's official request for bids, quotes or proposals. It describes the work, the terms, how to respond and how offers are judged.
Put it to work
- Where to find SBIR topics and BAAs
- Browse open research and development notices (NAICS 541715)
- FAR 35.016, Broad agency announcement
Looking for another term? Browse the full glossary or the government contracting glossary guide.