Sources Sought
Incubator Programs for Secure Facilities and Networks at Universities
Dept of Defense · Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (Dcsa) · Sol. RFI-DCSA-IPSFNU
Due in 36 days
AI summary Beta
Some details are in the notice's attachments, which this summary didn't read. Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
The Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency is gathering information from universities and colleges about setting up incubator programs for secure facilities and networks, as required by the FY2026 defense authorization law. It is a Sources Sought / RFI for planning and a report to Congress only, not a solicitation. Place of performance is listed as Virginia.
Watch out for
- Aimed at universities, not typical contractors. The RFI targets institutions of higher education, so most small businesses would only take part as partners.
at select institutions of higher education
- No procurement yet. Responses feed a report to Congress and any program is only a possibility, so there is no contract to bid on now.
This RFI is for planning and assessment purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.
- Cost-sharing and cleared workforce expected. The notice points to significant non-federal cost-sharing and secure, classified-capable space, which implies heavy investment and security requirements.
Long-term economic sustainment with significant non-federal cost-sharing
Read from the notice text only.
Full brief
What they want
- Information from institutions of higher education on establishing or expanding secure facilities and networks
- Ways to speed the transition of innovative technology to defense mission use
- More secure space for classified research and development, prototyping and collaboration
- Expanding the cleared technical workforce
- Regional innovation hub supporting multi-tenant use (defense, industry and academia)
- Long-term sustainment with significant non-federal cost-sharing
- Place of performance
- VA, USA
- Offers due
- 2026-11-12 at 10:00 AM (-05:00 offset, as listed in the notice)
You must have
- Responses are sought from institutions of higher education capable of building or expanding secure facilities and networks
This RFI seeks detailed information from institutions capable of:
Not in the notice text
- How and where to send responses
- Response format and page limits
- Specific questions the agency wants answered
- NAICS code and any set-aside
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Key facts
- Response due
- Nov 12, 2026, 3:00 PM UTC
- Posted
- Jul 14, 2026
- Notice type
- Sources Sought
- Solicitation
- RFI-DCSA-IPSFNU
- Agency
- Dept of Defense · Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (Dcsa)
- Office
- Defense Ci and Security Agency
- Place of performance
- VA, 22134
- Contracting contact
- Stephen Nemethdcsa.mbx.university-rfi@mail.mil
- Versions
- 2 (amended since first posted)
Full notice text from SAM.gov
Pursuant to Section 1071 of Public Law 119-60, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2026 (Section 1071), the Department of War (DoW) is conducting an assessment on the feasibility, advisability, and potential benefits of establishing incubator programs for the development, operation, and sustainment of secure facilities and networks at select institutions of higher education. This RFI seeks detailed information from institutions capable of: Establishing or expanding secure facilities and networks Accelerating the transition of innovative technologies to DoW mission use Increasing availability of secure spaces to support classified research and development (R&D), prototyping, secure collaboration, and research transition activities Expanding the cleared technical workforce Serving as a regional innovation hub supporting multi-tenant use (DoW, industry, and academia) Long-term economic sustainment with significant non-federal cost-sharing The Department intends to use RFI responses to inform its assessment to Congress on the feasibility, advisability, and potential benefits to the Department of establishing the incubator programs described in Section 1071. The purpose of this information request is to ensure that any potential assessment provided to Congress and any subsequently authorized incubator program are grounded in realistic construction, security, governance, and sustainment planning. Early identification of cost, compliance, and institutional commitment factors is intended to reduce risk for both the U.S. Government and participating institutions. This RFI is for planning and assessment purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.