Solicitation
NGA - Boosting Innovative GEOINT - Science & Technology Broad Agency Announcement (BIG-ST BAA): Topic # 07 – Lidar Analysis for Surface & Environmental Reconnaissance (LASER)
Department of Defense · National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
AI summaryThis is Topic 7 of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's (NGA) open research call: abstracts (short summaries of your idea) are due October 28, 2026, 11:00 AM ET, abstract feedback is dated November 20, 2026, and full proposals follow by the response due date, December 21, 2026. NGA wants one performer to test whether satellite lidar (laser height measurement from space) can find objects on land and under water. The budget is $854K for a 15-month Phase 2, and the Government may award either a procurement contract or an Other Transaction Agreement (OT: a flexible agreement outside standard contract rules). More in the summary
AI summary Beta
This summary may miss requirements: 17 of 29 attachments weren't read (LASER_CDRL_A001_Kick-off.pdf, LASER_CDRL_A003_Software Deliverables.pdf and 15 more). Check the attachments on SAM.gov.
This is Topic 7 of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's (NGA) open research call: abstracts (short summaries of your idea) are due October 28, 2026, 11:00 AM ET, abstract feedback is dated November 20, 2026, and full proposals follow by the response due date, December 21, 2026. NGA wants one performer to test whether satellite lidar (laser height measurement from space) can find objects on land and under water. The budget is $854K for a 15-month Phase 2, and the Government may award either a procurement contract or an Other Transaction Agreement (OT: a flexible agreement outside standard contract rules).
How to submit: Sent directly to the contracting officers and the contracting specialist at the email addresses in the topic call (Viphalac.chanthaphone@nga.mil, Patricia.D.Hill@nga.mil, Charlena.D.Evans@nga.mil). What to include is under Full summary below. Check the solicitation's instructions on SAM.gov.
Things to watch (6)
From the version posted Oct 20, 2026.
- Serious: Abstract step comes before the full proposal. Abstracts are due October 28, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET and feedback is dated November 20, 2026; the text read does not say whether a firm that skips the abstract can still send a proposal.
- Worth checking: Only one award planned. NGA plans a single award and can cancel or award nothing, so effort on an abstract and proposal may not pay off.
- Worth checking: Security level for this topic not confirmed. The attached security language ranges from unclassified work up to Top Secret/SCI, and classified topic calls are posted on a separate classified site; which level applies to Topic 7 was not visible in the text read.
Show all 6Show fewer
- Minor: Award type not fixed. The Government may use a procurement contract or an Other Transaction Agreement, so the terms you negotiate may differ from a standard contract.
- Minor: Travel cap. Proposed travel costs may not exceed 8% of your overall proposed price.
- Minor: No sample data before proposals. NGA will not release a data dictionary or sample before proposals are due, and some earlier-phase outputs reach the performer only after award, so you must plan without seeing them.
Read from the notice and 12 attachments. 17 of 29 not read. Show which files.
- BIGST_BAA_HM047623BAA0001_GeneralSolicitation_REV2_20250402.pdf (read)
- BIGST_BAA_HM047623BAA00001_GeneralSolicitation_REV4_20260730.pdf (read)
- BIGST_BAA_HM047623BAA00001_GeneralSolicitation_REV3_20250425.pdf (read)
- BIGST_BAA_GeneralSolicitation_REV1_20241220.docx (read)
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-2-PWS_SOW SCI Security Language vSep 2025.docx (read)
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-3-PWS_SOW Secret Security Language vSep 2025.docx (read)
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-5-PWS_SOW Unclass only no CUI Security Language vSep 2025.docx (read)
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-6-PWS_SOW Unclass w CUI Security Language vSep 2025.docx (read)
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-4-PWS_SOW Top Secret Security Language vSep 2025.docx (read)
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-1-PWS_SOW SCI Security Language vSep 2025 w Special_corrected.docx (read)
- BIGST_TOPIC_07_LASER_QandA_10202026.pdf (read)
- BIGST-BAA_T7_LASER_20261016.pdf (read)
- LASER_CDRL_A001_Kick-off.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- LASER_CDRL_A003_Software Deliverables.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- LASER_CDRL_A004_Technical Plans.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-8_Security_Test_Plan_TemplateV2.0.docx: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- RTP_SEC_AttchC-7_PPIP_Template.docx: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- BIGST_BAA_HM047623BAA0001_Provisions_Clauses_20231115.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- Research and Technology Plan_20260730.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- Provisions and Clauses_HM047623BAA0001_20260622.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- Research and Technology Protection_BIG-ST BAA_20241220.docx: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- NGAI 8400.4.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- BIGST_BAA_HM047623BAA0001_Provisions_Clauses_20250402.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- APPENDIX 5 Grants Coops_version3.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- APPENDIX 5 Grants Coops_version2.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- APPENDIX 2 Proposal Template.docx: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- APPENDIX 5 Grants Coops.docx: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- APPENDIX 1 Abstract Template.docx: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
- LASER_CDRL_A002_Technical_Reports.pdf: not summarized: open it on SAM.gov
Full summary
What they want
- Build a test method, collect data and develop new analysis of 3D signatures (the shapes objects leave in lidar data) using space lidar, for objects above ground and under water.
- Develop automatic detection of man-made objects from space lidar such as ICESat-2 and GEDI, using the ATL03 data product.
- Meet a probability of detection above 75%, with a goal of plus or minus 1 meter elevation accuracy (Government answer in the posted Q&A).
- Use ground truth (known reference) data that the Government will provide; extra sources that need no new collection are welcome, and imagery and other helper data are allowed.
- Deliver the items on the topic call's change history and deliverable lists: an AI/machine learning (AI/ML) objects report, software documentation package, test plan, transition plan, final report, a kick-off meeting and brief, and a final demonstration and brief.
- Start at technology readiness level (TRL: a 1 to 9 scale of how mature a technology is) 4 and progress to TRL 5, with potential to reach TRL 6.
- Contract type
- Broad agency announcement (BAA: an open call for research ideas) topic call; one award, either a procurement contract or an Other Transaction Agreement, chosen by the Contracting Officer
- Period of performance
- 15 months (Phase 2); estimated start February 15, 2027
- Place of performance
- Primarily the contractor's facility and a Government facility at 7500 GEOINT Drive, Springfield, VA 22150
- Estimated value
- $854K for Phase 2 (15 months), the Government's budget stated in the topic call
- Contract vehicle
- Boosting Innovative GEOINT - Science and Technology Broad Agency Announcement (BIG-ST BAA) HM047623BAA0001, Topic 7; the General Solicitation Revision 4 applies to Topic 6 and forward
- Offers due
- December 21, 2026, 11:59 PM Eastern
- How to submit
- Sent directly to the contracting officers and the contracting specialist at the email addresses in the topic call (Viphalac.chanthaphone@nga.mil, Patricia.D.Hill@nga.mil, Charlena.D.Evans@nga.mil)
What to include when you submit
- Abstracts come first: they are due October 28, 2026, 11:00 AM ET, and NGA's abstract feedback is dated November 20, 2026.
- Follow the content and format in Appendix 1 (Abstract Template) and Appendix 2 (Proposal Template) of the BIG-ST BAA General Solicitation, and review all of its revision documents.
- Include a recommended award type (procurement contract or Other Transaction Agreement) with the abstract; the Contracting Officer makes the final choice.
- Keep proposed travel costs at or below 8% of your overall proposed price.
- Send abstracts, proposals and all questions directly to the contracting officers and contracting specialist named in the topic call.
- Price within the $854K Phase 2 budget for 15 months.
After award, you must have
- Report a cyber incident that affects covered defense information to the DoD Cyber Crime Center (DC3) and the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR) in writing within 72 hours of finding it. From BIGST-BAA_T7_LASER_20261016.pdf:
1. Notify the DoD Cyber Crime Center (DC3) and the COR in writing within 72 hours of incident discovery…
Not in the notice text
- Much of the topic call (requirements, deliverable tables) and the middle of the General Solicitation Revision 4 were cut from the text read here. The contract data requirements lists (LASER_CDRL_A001 to A004), Appendix 1 and 2 templates, provisions and clauses files, and Research and Technology Plan files are attached but not read.
- How abstracts and proposals are scored is in the General Solicitation (Section 5), which was not read, so no evaluation factors are listed here.
- Who may send a proposal after the abstract step, and whether sending an abstract is required, was not visible in the text read.
- Which security level applies to Topic 7 (unclassified, controlled unclassified information, Secret or Top Secret/SCI) was not visible; check the Research and Technology Plan and security attachments on SAM.gov.
- SAM.gov states no set-aside, and the General Solicitation's eligible applicants section (3.1) was not read, so who may apply is not confirmed.
- Page limits and proposal format are in the Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 templates, which were attached but not read.
Eligibility and how to respond
- No set-aside: any business, large or small, can bid unless the notice says otherwise.
- How to submit, from the AI summary: Sent directly to the contracting officers and the contracting specialist at the email addresses in the topic call (Viphalac.chanthaphone@nga.mil, Patricia.D.Hill@nga.mil, Charlena.D.Evans@nga.mil). Check it in the notice before you send anything.
Notice details
- Posted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Notice type
- Solicitation
- Office
- Attn: Ms S84 - Ocs, Springfield, VA
- Product/service code
- AC13 · National Defense R&D Services; Department of Defense – Military; Experimental Development
- Business type
- Engineering, architecture & research (FedReady's grouping, from NAICS 541715)
- Versions
3 versions have been posted, newest first.
- Oct 20, 2026 · Amendment 0002 (this version)Due Dec 21, 2026
- Oct 16, 2026 · Amendment 0001Due Dec 21, 2026 (changed)
- Oct 1, 2026 · SolicitationDue Dec 11, 2026
- Attachments
Past awards and competition
Who has won work like this before, the likely incumbent, and what similar contracts paid, from USAspending.gov.
Before you respond
- How to respond to a solicitation (8 steps)
- How to read a government solicitation
- How to price a government contract
Terms on this notice: Solicitation
Full notice text from SAM.gov
The Boosting Innovative GEOINT-Science and Technology (BIG-ST) Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) invites proposers to submit innovative concepts to address hard GEOINT problems that align to one or more of the following technical domains: (1) Foundational GEOINT, (2) Advanced Phenomenologies, and (3) Analytic Technologies. BAA Process and Topic Call Publication: The BIG-ST BAA, HM047623BAA0001, is a general announcement of NGA’s research interest, including criteria for selecting proposals and soliciting the participation of all offerors capable of satisfying the Government’s needs. The requests for abstracts and proposals are transmitted via Topic Calls that are published separately under the BIG-ST BAA General Solicitation at various times during the open period of the General Solicitation. Topic Calls will be published via updates to the BIG-ST BAA General Solicitation site on Sam.gov, Grants.gov, and/or the Classified IC-Acquisition Research Center (https://acq-ui.ace.proj.nro.ic.gov). For Classified Topic Calls, interested parties must have an account to log into the Classified IC-ARC to see the notice, and all associated RFP documents. For additional support with account access, please contact the Classified ACE Help Desk at 855-4ACE. Interested parties should periodically check these websites for updates. No submissions shall be accepted to the General Solicitation; abstracts and proposals will only be reviewed in response to open Topic Calls. Please refer to the Topic Calls for Abstract and Proposal due dates. The BIG-ST BAA General Solicitation, HM047623BAA0001 Revision 4 (dated 07/30/2026), is posted and applies to Topic 6 and forward. See Attachments/Links. Closed Topics: Topic 1 - Geospatial-Intelligence Foundational Model (GFM) is closed Topic 2 - Magnifying University Science Expertise (MUSE) is closed. Topic 3 - VLBI+G Signal Chain Development (VLBI+G) is closed. Topic 5 - Better Ingested GEOINT - Identifying Artificial Intelligence and Manually Manipulated Media (BIGISLAND) is closed. Topic 6 - Magnifying University Science Expertise (MUSE 2) is closed. Canceled Topics: Topic 4 - Production of Radio Frequency (RF) Surveys from Commercial On-orbit Passive RF (RF-COP) is canceled. Active Topics: 10/01/2026 Update: Topic 7 Topic 7 – Lidar Analysis for Surface & Environmental Reconnaissance (LASER) is open. Please review the following new/updated documents under Attachment/Links: New: BIGST-BAA_T7_LASER_20261001
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